A Miracle of Saint Francis of Paola

Art Historical Context

Sebastiano Ricci’s *A Miracle of Saint Francis of Paola* (1733) captures a moment of divine intervention by the humble 15th-century Franciscan saint. Painted late in Ricci’s career, the work reflects the artist’s Venetian roots and his role in bridging the dramatic energy of the Baroque with the lighter, more graceful spirit of the emerging Rococo. The tall, narrow format suggests the canvas may have been designed as a side panel for an altarpiece or chapel, guiding the viewer’s eye upward in a gesture of spiritual ascent. Working in oil on canvas, Ricci employs fluid brushwork and luminous color to animate the miraculous scene. His confident handling of light and movement draws attention to the saint’s gesture, while the compact composition keeps the narrative intimate despite the painting’s modest size. As part of the Samuel H. Kress Collection at the National Gallery of Art, the work offers visitors a vivid example of 18th-century Italian religious painting at a moment of stylistic transition. Today the painting continues to invite quiet reflection on themes of faith, humility, and wonder—qualities that defined both the saint and the artist who portrayed him.

About the Artist

Sebastiano Ricci · 1659–1734

Sebastiano Ricci (1659–1734) was born in Belluno, in the Venetian Republic, and received his early training in Venice, where he was apprenticed at age twelve to the Milanese painter Federico Cervelli. Some accounts identify Sebastiano Mazzoni as his first master. A youthful scandal involving an unintended pregnancy and a charge of attempted poisoning led to imprisonment in 1678, from which he was ...