Small Flowers of Saint Francis (1928)
Technique: Giclée quality print
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"Small Flowers of Saint Francis" is a compelling work by Emile Bernard, created in 1928. This piece beautifully captures a narrative infused with spiritual symbolism, an homage to Saint Francis of Assisi. The central panel of the painting presents a vivid scene where Saint Francis, with arms outstretched, appears to be communicating with or exalting a small angel or cherub above him, framed by ethereal clouds.The border surrounding this central depiction is richly adorned with floral and faunal motifs. In the upper part, faces embedded among intertwining leaves gaze out, adding an enigmatic quality to the piece. Flanking the sides are stalks bearing large flowers, some blooming and others still budding, indicative of life's continuous cycle and growth. Notably, a devilish figure, found on the left side, seems to interact with Saint Francis, possibly depicting the saint's triumph over temptation or evil.The whole composition, contained within ornate floral arrangements, signals the interplay of divinity and nature, a theme central to Saint Francis' teachings and life. This artwork not only reflects Bernard's skill in capturing religious themes through symbolic artistry but also serves as a visual meditation on the virtues of simplicity and piety championed by Saint Francis.
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Émile Henri Bernard (28 April 1868 – 16 April 1941) was a French Post-Impressionist painter and writer, who had artistic friendships with Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin and Eugène Boch, and at a later time, Paul Cézanne. Most of his notable work was accomplished at a young age, in the years 1886 through 1897. He is also associated with Cloisonnism and Synthetism, two late 19th-century art movements. Less known is Bernard's literary work, comprising plays, poetry, and art criticism as well as art historical statements that contain first-hand information on the crucial period of modern art to which Bernard had contributed.