Vision of Saint Francis of Assisi at Portiuncula n.d.

Giovanni Andrea Donducci made this red chalk drawing, *Vision of Saint Francis of Assisi at Portiuncula*, sometime between 1575 and 1655. It depicts St. Francis kneeling before an altar as angels float above him. This image reflects the immense social importance of religious institutions in seventeenth-century Italy. The Catholic Church played a vital role in politics, education, and the arts. Artists like Donducci found consistent patronage creating works that reinforced religious doctrine and popular devotion. The story of St. Francis, who rejected wealth to embrace poverty and serve the poor, presented an appealing model for piety. Donducci likely hoped to inspire similar devotion by showing Francis receiving a divine vision. To fully understand the social function of such images, we can examine period religious texts, sermons, and the records of artistic patronage. These resources reveal the complex relationship between art, religion, and society.