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Secondary sourcePainting1480

St. Francis of Assisi showing his stigmata, 1480

1480

A dated 1480 manuscript page showing Francis of Assisi displaying his stigmata, a later medieval picture of the legend. It is held by the KB, National Library of the Netherlands.

This 1480 manuscript page depicts Francis showing his stigmata, showing how the saint was portrayed in later medieval books.

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Scan of a illuminated manuscript page with a gold and blue decorated initial, floral border, and red and black gothic text in columns. A haloed saint in a brown robe stands at upper left, and a mitred bishop holding a staff is at lower left.
St. Francis of Assisi showing his stigmata, 1480. Manuscript page, KB, National Library of the Netherlands.

About this source

What it is

This is a scanned manuscript page dated 1480 that shows Francis of Assisi showing his stigmata. The page has a gold and blue decorated initial, a floral border, and red and black gothic text set in columns. The catalogue record does not name the maker. The page is held by the KB, National Library of the Netherlands.

In the upper left, a haloed saint in a brown robe stands. In the lower left, a mitred bishop holds a staff.

Why it matters

Francis died in 1226, and this page was made more than two centuries later. It is therefore a medieval image of the saint, not a record from his own lifetime. The page shows how Francis was remembered in the late 15th century, and how religious books were designed with both pictures and text for readers.

Look closer

  • Which figures are shown on the page, and how does their placement suggest who matters most?
  • Who would have used a book with this kind of decoration, and for what purpose?
  • What does the page leave out about Francis's life beyond this one scene?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Saint Francis on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Primary source

Canticle of the Sun

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Photograph of a small, aged parchment sheet sealed in a metal-framed case. It has faded brown ink text in Latin with red headings, a large hand-drawn red and brown Tau cross with a figure-like sketch, and a few lines of writing at the bottom.Document

Primary source

Chartula fratri Leonis

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Secondary source

First Life of Saint Francis

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Secondary source

Saint Francis of Assisi and Scenes of His Life

Bonaventura Berlinghieri · 1235

Aerial view of the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi on a hilltop, with its pink-toned stone walls, a tall bell tower, and a large sloping retaining wall. A parking area and winding road are below, with green valley and hills in the distance under a cloudy sky.Artifact

Secondary source

Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi

begun 1228

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