In a New Light: Giovanni Bellini's "St. Francis in the Desert"

Giovanni Bellini’s St. Francis in the Desert (c. 1476–78) is a masterpiece of Venetian Renaissance art that has inspired generations of visitors to The Frick Collection. This monumental panel painting portrays the beloved Christian saint alone in a mountainous wilderness, stepping forward from his simple shelter into a golden light that seems to transfigure him spiritually. For centuries, viewers have puzzled over the work’s meaning; until recently, however, the artist’s practical conceptio...