St. Francis Of Assisi-new painting

Completed on 9-25 painted on a birch wood panel with painted sides.  St. Francis has wide appeal with both the animal connection and of course his story.  We had a Giotto poster of him growing up  at the entrance to our basement that I loved and my mother became a member of the Franciscan order when I was a teenager.    Another connection would be that my son Sam's school is located at a former Franciscan seminary.   I've painted different versions over the past 5 years. http://catherinenolin.org/artwork/3851391-St-Francis-Of-Assisi.html

 

St. Francis was born at Assisi in 1182. After a care free youth, he turned his back on inherited wealth and committed himself to God. Like many early saints, he lived a very simple life of poverty, and in so doing, gained a reputation of being the friend of animals. He established the rule of St Francis, which exists today as the Order of St. Francis, or the Franciscans. He died in 1226, aged 44.