St. Francis Contemplating a Skull
c.1635
Zurbarán, often called the 'Spanish Caravaggio,' was a master of dramatic lighting, and he uses it here to make St. Francis look like he's standing on a dark stage. The saint wears the heavy, rough wool habit of his order, complete with a pointed hood that gives him a slightly mysterious silhouette. He's holding a skull, a classic 'memento mori' symbol reminding viewers that life is short and they should focus on the spiritual world. The texture of the fabric is painted so realistically that you can almost feel the scratchy wool.