Abbey-Roads2

I picked up my painting from the framers today, a faithful copy of Francisco Zurbaran’s “St. Francis in Meditation”.  It measures 50″ x  40″ - hand painted, original oil on canvas.  It is spectacular!  Sadly, I ordered it through a resource that has artists in China who reproduce master works for galleries in NYC.  This was before I realized the atrocities committed in China are indirectly supported by our buying Chinese goods.  (However, before placing my order I did research the company and was assured the artists are paid ‘well’ - considering local economy, and each piece is an original painting, not a worked over giclee print.  I checked all of their references, etc.  The references were right, the work is masterfully painted in every detail.  It is astonishing!)

I will pray for the artists, that is all I can do at this point.

A note on the painting:  When I lived in Assisi I spent a week in retreat with the friars at the Carceri.  This painting reminds me of Blessed Father St. Francis at prayer in one of the caves, or perhaps his cell, on the mountain above Assisi.  This painting moves me to devotion, and conscious of the person who painted it, I will always be moved to compunction as well as prayer for the painter.  I also must add, the painter understood the subject…the delicacy of the saint’s face is beautifully rendered, he knew the habit was patched - he caught what Zurbaran was doing…he understood the spirit of the saint…it is not just a copy.

Obviously, I’m pleased - and that is not easy to do.