Description
Francis looks out to the distance in wonder, through dense foliage and over green hills to faraway towns. He welcomes the morning with his brothers and sisters, the colorful animals of the forest, and he contemplates our place in creation.
Bordering the central image are 24 scenes depicting a visual biography of Francis’s life. The scenes show Francis caring for nature and all creation, helping and empowering people on their journeys through life.
Swanson saw Francis as a human who struggled–a man who sought ways to give help to others. For him, Francis was a hero, a mentor, and a spiritual companion. Francis’s life shows us the potential we all posses to do the extraordinary.
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FRANCIS OF ASSISI – Personal History of the Image
In the early 1970s, I visited the Frick Museum in New York City and saw Giovanni Bellini’s 15th century masterpiece, St. Francis in Ecstasy. I was inspired by the artwork and created many small sketches and drawings. Through the 1970s and into the early 1980s, I made many paintings of St Francis in nature. From June, 1985 to August, 1985, I printed a limited edition, six-color lithograph at Efram Wolff Studio, which I called FRANCIS OF ASSISI. Many years later, I reexamined the pastel colored lithograph, and decided to further refine the artwork. Using one of the lithograph prints as an underpainting, I painted on top of the work adding more colors and details. The artwork became one of my most elaborate paintings, Francis of Assisi (Painting, 1999). The painting is now in the permanent collection of Emory University’s Candler School of Theology.I wanted to make the artwork available for more people to enjoy, and I wanted to further refine the work. In May of 2019, I began to gather materials; photos of the painting and scans of the lithograph, in order to create a new giclee based on the earlier artwork. From May through September, we combined patterns from the 1985 lithograph with details from the 1999 painting, as well as many new drawings, refining the image. The colors were further intensified and enhanced, and line-work was refined. In consideration of all the reimagining, reworking, and time it took me, I feel I have given my best to this artwork. I approved the giclee edition on September 25, 2019, and announced it on October 4, 2019 – The Feast of St Francis. |
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FRANCIS OF ASSISI |
Study For Lithograph |
Printing at Efram Wolff |
Color Correcting at Efram Wolff |
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FRANCIS AND THE BIRDS |
FRANCIS Listens to the Fish |
FRANCIS AND THE WOLF |
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FRANCIS OF ASSISI- Giclee Details
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FRANCIS OF ASSISI Francis Greets |
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FRANCIS OF ASSISI Prosperous Family, |
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FRANCIS OF ASSISI Begs for Alms, |
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FRANCIS OF ASSISI Solitude, |
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FRANCIS OF ASSISI Wolf of Gubbio, |
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FRANCIS OF ASSISI Visiting Prisoners, |
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FRANCIS OF ASSISI Brother Donkey, |
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FRANCIS OF ASSISI Freeing the Birds, |
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FRANCIS OF ASSISI The Vision, |
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