PROVENANCE: Earl of Shrewsberry, Alton Towers, before 1838; Thos. Agnew & Sons, Manchester, between 1851 and 1862; Julius Weitzner, New York, 1958; Gift of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Greer, 1959.

Although Calvaert was Flemish by birth, he went at age 20 to Bologna to study and spent the rest of his life there. He opened an important teaching studio and taught Reni, Domenichino, and Albani, who would become leaders in the emerging baroque style.

Francis of Assisi lived at the beginning of the 13th century and was known for his life of devotion. Calvaert's painting depicts one of the legends surrounding Francis's life. He prayed to see Christ, and Mary and the Christ Child appeared to him in a vision. The Catholic church encouraged such portrayals of vision to inspire devotion to the church in its followers and to counter the effects of the Reformation, which stressed a personal relationship with Christ through faith alone.