[Gocamino] Saint Francis as a pilgrim painting

[blaroli at aol.com]

Hello you all,
The painting itself is about one?and a half meters high, (I think), and about three quarters of a meter wide.?? It is hung fairly high, which is why I good photo of it can only be taken by a photographer with a ladder or a special tripod. It hangs in the "modern" religious art section of the Diocesan Museum of the Leon Cathedral. The entrance to the museum is on the left of the church half way towards the altar. There are two (or three?) ways of going into the Museum.... I think that one can go to the cloister and admire the art works there for free, or a small fee, and one can also pay a larger entrance fee to the Cloisters and the "modern" art museum.? The picture of Saint Francis is upstairs, surrounded by other pictures, and art work, that take one's breath away. On the ground floor there is a large "Matamoros" ensemble and many very interesting items. A visitor to the museum can also pay a larger fee for a guided tour to a section which is maintained under lock and key, and rightly so, since it contains unbelievably priceless objects.... some of them dating back to the first?millennium.

The author of the Saint Francis painting is a semi-monk that lives in El Escorial. For some reason or another, he does not accept money for his work. That the artist is possessed of a special extension of human spirit and sensitivity becomes obvious when one contemplates the painting.... particularly, I imagine, if one has been a pilgrim.

The rule against taking pictures, flash or no flash, is quite strictly imposed there, and those breaking it are quickly escorted out regardless of any attempted explanation on their part.? The museum is administered by a Msgr. that has a little office across the street. Because I was visibly moved by the picture, and had gone to Leon and to the museum several times to see it, he allowed me to take a couple of?pictures.? Strangely, in the photos the picture sometimes is in blues and sometimes in browns.

Again, I can send you the photo directly, if you wish.

Hugs!

Rosina
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