3-098-582 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

The Apparition of the Virgin to Saint Francis of Assisi, c1788-c1789. Mary, holding the Infant Jesus in her arms, appears to Francis of Assisi (1181-1226), the founder of the Franciscan Order. The imagery in this scene relates to a passage in the life of Francis, according to which the blood he shed during a penance caused rosebushes to grow. The flowers from these rosebushes were used to adorn the Porziuncola chapel, a place dedicated to the Virgin Mary, which the saint chose for his retreat and prayer. Tradition holds that this place was frequented by angels, hence its name, the Chapel of Our Lady of the Angels.