Surface and Depth: Zurbaran’s Saint Francis in Meditation

Zurbarán’s iconic painting, Saint Francis in Meditation, is deceptive in its simplicity. This lecture seeks to nuance our understanding of Zurbarán’s artistic construction of the work by exploring its subtle ambiguities. It argues that the tensions between surface and depth, so prominent in the painting, operate not only visually, but also metaphorically. The artist’s painterly translation of Saint Francis suggests an intricate relationship between the physical world and the spiritual realm, the materiality of paint brushed onto the canvas evoking a divine encounter. The viewing experience itself becomes further complicated, as our role oscillates between onlooker and participant, echoing the activity of Zurbarán’s contemplative figure.