Miracles of St. Francis Xavier (Rubens)
[3] This painting, along with The Miracles of St. Ignatius of Loyola, were purchased by the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa after a fire caused the St. Charles Borromeo Church to close in 1773.[4] Near the upper left corner of the altarpiece between the two columns, there is statue that wears a crown and has an open mouth at the middle portion of the body.[4] Rubens created studies of St. Francis Xavier's gestures to give him a pose that shows that he is healing people.[4] This was used to show that St. Francis Xavier had the ability to perform miracles and restore faith to the Roman Catholic Church.[8] Researchers know that Rubens received information about the geography and history of Asian culture from Theodore de Bry.[2] In the middle of the painting, there are men in Korean outfits who symbolize people who initially questioned St. Francis Xavier's ability to perform his miracles.[2] Another possibility is that Rubens was inspired by an art piece created by Jacopo Tintoretto, called St. Roch Healing Plague Victims.[10] The figure was originally going to wear Turkish attire, but the Jesuits wanted a variety of clothing to represent their activity in Asia.[10] The East Asian attire in this painting symbolizes the belief that Catholicism was superior while demoting paganism to a primitive status.
Peter Paul RubensKunsthistorisches MuseumViennaaltarpieceJesuitsAntwerpSt. Charles Borromeo ChurchSt. Francis XavierAfricaSt. Ignatius of LoyolaJacobus TirinusAustrianMaria TheresaThe Great Last JudgementCounter-ReformationCatholiccanonizationTheodore de BryKoreanbubonic plagueJacopo TintorettoYppongThe Martyrdom of Saint ThomasThe Descent from the CrossLeda and the SwanThe DepositionSelf-Portrait in a Circle of Friends from MantuaEquestrian Portrait of the Duke of LermaPortrait of a Young WomanHercules and OmphaleHeraclitus and DemocritusVirgin and ChildThe Fall of PhaetonThe Baptism of ChristThe Gonzaga Family in Adoration of the Holy TrinityTransfigurationThe CircumcisionPortrait of Marchesa Brigida Spinola-DoriaPortrait of Maria di Antonio SerraPortrait of a Noblewoman with an AttendantPortrait of Giovanni Carlo Doria on HorsebackSaint Gregory with SaintsMadonna della VallicellaSusanna and the EldersThe Head of Saint John the Baptist Presented to SalomeAdoration of the MagiSamson and DelilahHoneysuckle BowerCoronation of the VirginJuno and ArgusRaising of the CrossConversion of Saint PaulMassacre of the InnocentsVenus FrigidaPrometheus BoundThe Four PhilosophersAntwerp ResurrectionVisitationRoman CharityEcce HomoDescent from the CrossSaint Teresa of Ávila's Vision of the Holy SpiritThe Tribute MoneyThe Defeat of SennacheribThe Four ContinentsChrist Giving the Keys to Saint PeterPortrait of a CommanderThe Crowning of the Virtuous HeroThe Incredulity of Saint ThomasThe Death of AdonisVenus and AdonisSt SebastianThe Virgin Mary and Saint Francis Saving the World from Christ's AngerMadonna della CestaIxion, King of the Lapiths, Deceived by Juno, Who He Wished to SeduceDaniel in the Lions' DenBacchanaliaA Statue of CeresThe Hippopotamus and Crocodile HuntThe Tiger HuntTheodosius and Saint AmbroseThe Wild Boar HuntFlorence ResurrectionThe Virgin and Child Surrounded by the Holy InnocentsErichthonius Discovered by the Daughters of CecropsThe Wolf and Fox HuntThe Lion and Leopard HuntRomulus and RemusSaint Stephen TriptychTwo Women with a CandleThe Meeting Between Abraham and MelchizedekChrist and the Penitent SinnersMars and Rhea SilviaThe Garden of Eden with the Fall of ManA Bearded ManThe Five SensesTwo SatyrsMedusaThe Rape of the Daughters of LeucippusChrist Triumphant over Sin and DeathThe Prodigal SonThe Union of Earth and WaterTigress with Her CubsMucius Scaevola before Lars PorsennaFeast in the House of Simon the PhariseeSt Mary Magdalene in EcstasyThe Small Last JudgementThe Fall of the DamnedLandscape with Philemon and BaucisPortrait of a Young Man in ArmorSaint George and the DragonPerseus Freeing AndromedaSaints Dominic and Francis Saving the World from Christ's AngerThe Rape of Orithyia by BoreasChrist on the CrossThe Three GracesIsabella BrantThe Lion HuntMarie de' Medici cyclePortrait of Susanna LundenPerseus and AndromedaThe History of ConstantineSelf-PortraitThe Conversion of Saint BavoDiana and Her Nymphs Leaving for the HuntThe Reconciliation of Esau and Jacob