St Francis in Ecstasy

This is one of the artist’s first works. It has a perfectly Lombard air: the broad lines of the composition recall mannerist motives. But Caravaggio’s characteristic approach to reality is already at work, and his brushstroke shows a magic that could be obtained only by a thorough analysis of Venetian painting.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 33 minutes):

Michael Haydn: St Francis Mass