‘St. Francis in the Desert’: A Beloved Bellini Painting

Giovanni Bellini’s painting poetically communicates St. Francis’s devotion and contemplation.

A detail of "Saint Francis in the Desert," circa 1475–1480, by Giovanni Bellini. The Frick Collection, New York City. Public Domain

Giovanni Bellini’s enigmatic masterpiece “St. Francis in the Desert” at New York City’s Frick Collection is considered the greatest Italian Renaissance painting in the United States. It depicts the critical moment in the life of St. Francis when he experienced the stigmata, the imprint of the five Crucifixion wounds of Christ.

There is a rich art historical tradition of depicting this event, but Bellini’s interpretation has no precedent. “St. Francis in the Desert,” circa 1475–1478, reflects the artist’s genius in the burgeoning medium of oil paint to depict color, light, religious iconography, and the natural world—all with great beauty and detail.