Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata 1535 - 1545

Nicolò Boldrini made this woodcut, Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata, in Italy sometime between 1500 and 1566. It depicts St. Francis of Assisi kneeling in a landscape as he receives the stigmata, the wounds of Christ, representing a moment of profound spiritual communion. Boldrini was working during the Renaissance, a period marked by a renewed interest in classical art and humanist philosophy. Woodcuts like this were relatively accessible, and they catered to a growing demand for religious imagery among the literate and pious. The detailed landscape, reminiscent of Northern European prints, places the event in a natural, almost tangible world. This emphasis on nature aligns with the Franciscan order’s own appreciation of the natural world as a source of spiritual insight. To fully appreciate this work, we can research the history of the Franciscan order, the artistic conventions of the time, and the role of printmaking in disseminating religious ideas.