This striking mid-17th-century oil painting, attributed to the workshop of Gaspar de Figueroa (1594-1658), depicts Saint Francis Xavier, a Jesuit and the patron saint of missionaries.

Clutching a crucifix and white lilies, to symbolise his faith and purity, he stands before a collection of figures to represent his achievements. On the left, we see a baptism, while on the right, a woman is being raised from the dead. It's plausible that these are scenes from his own life.

Saint Francis Xavier worked during the 16th century and co-founded the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). He travelled throughout Asia in an effort to convert the local populace to Christianity. Around 30,000 people were baptised and, as such, he’s often referred to as the "Apostle of the Far East". 

Various accounts cite his miracles, including healing the sick and bringing the deceased back to life. One such account explains how he resurrected a drowned boy, while another describes how he revived a fellow missionary following a deadly snake bite. He’s said to have also calmed storms by immersing his crucifix into the water. On one occasion, having it returned to him by a crab.

Images such as these were popular in the Spanish South American colonies, and our painting bears a strong stylistic resemblance to those produced by Gaspar de Figueroa (1594-1658) and his son, Baltasar Vargas de Figueroa (1629-1667). Gaspar de Figueroa established a large workshop in the city of Santafé, which became the capital of the Viceroyalty of New Granada. Today, we refer to it as Bogotá, the capital of Colombia. Numerous painters were trained by de Figueroa, including Gregorio Vásquez de Arce y Ceballos, Fray Gregorio Carvallo de la Parra, and Tomás Fernández de Heredia.

Held in a later frame.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 42” x 48½” / 107cm x 123cm
Year of creation: c. 1650
Provenance: Private collection, Spain.
Condition: Cleaned. Revarnished. Stretcher imprint. Canvas a little undulant. Three patched repairs. Fine craquelure throughout. The paint layer is stable. Frame in excellent condition.
Our reference: BRV2149