Leseprobe

96 Francisco de Zurbarán Fuente de Cantos 1598–1664 Madrid The Prayer of Saint Bonaventure concerning the Election of the New Pope 1628/29 Oil on canvas; 239×222 cm Purchased from the auction of the Louis Philippe Collection at Christie’s, London, in 1853 Gal. no. 696 This work belongs to an eight-part cycle on the life of Saint Bonaventure produced for the church dedicated to him in Seville. Zurburán painted the four pictures located on the Epistle side, while the four on the Evangelist side are the work of Francisco de Herrera the Elder. Declared a Doctor of the Church in 1588, Bonaven- ture is the most important philosopher and theologian of the Franciscan order. For this reason, scenes from his life were chosen to decorate the church of San Bonaven- tura in Seville, which was affiliated with the Franciscan college of the same name. The subject matter references an event in 1271. The papacy had been unoccupied for three years and the College of Cardinals was unable to agree on a new pope. At Bonaventure’s suggestion, Teobaldo Visconti was finally elected, becoming Pope Gregory X. In the foreground, the saint is shown in genuflection. In the otherwise dark room, he and the crown lying in front of him on the table, the papal tiara, are illuminated. In the upper left, an angel of the Lord appears before a golden back- ground, communicating His will by pointing. In the background on the right are six red-robed cardinals from the papal conclave, with a group of three men in contem- porary clothing – possibly benefactors of the order – occupying the middle ground. The appeal of the painting – conceived in a tenebrist style with a low viewpoint – stems from the planar figural arrangement and stark colour contrasts of red, black, and gold.  |  iyw