Saint Francis Borgia Helping a Dying Impenitent by Francisco Goya (Interpretation and Analysis)

Saint Francis Borgia Helping a Dying Impenitent
Source: Wikimedia Commons

There’s something about the art of Francisco Goya that constantly intrigues me. As I’ve written before, Goya is one of my favorite artists, and his range as an artist never fails to amaze me. While Goya is probably best known for his prints and etchings, his paintings are equally interesting. Goya was a highly inventive painter, and his style is incredibly expressive.

Saint Francis Borgia Helping a Dying Impenitent is a good example of the spirit of Goya’s ouvere. The painting depicts a sixteenth century Jesuit priest (Saint Francis Borgia) attending at the bedside of a dying man, who is being beset by demons. While this is a fairly common theme in Christian art, Goya puts his own spin on the image.

The painting is divided into two sections. To the right, the saint can be seen holding a crucifix. He is illuminated by a window behind him, and a soft halo glows around his head. To the left, the dying man lies in his bed, surrounded by the monstrous hulks of demonic creatures. A dull red glow sufuses this part of the scene, and a heavy curtain that hangs behind the bed blocks all excess light from the window. The obvious explanation for this contrast is the divide between heaven and hell, a visual reflection of the spiritual world. However, in the context of Goya’s work, this division takes on new undertones.

In Goya’s work, demonic figures are usually associated with ignorance, superstition, and folly in general. Goya was a strong believer in the enlightenment movement and despised these vices. In Saint Francis Borgia Helping a Dying Impenitent, therefore, the priest is not just casting out demons, he is banishing the spectres of folly. It is significant that the priest is associated with light in this scene; Borgia was a member of the Jesuit order, which was associated with schools and education in a general sense. The Jesuits are traditionally seen as reformers, allowing Goya to cast him as the harbinger of the enlightenment in this painting.

I think it’s also important to note Goya’s expressive style in this piece. His demons are drawn with characteristic imagination, and his compositional choices give the piece a sense of spontaneity and energy.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.