According to several scholars, Friedrich Pacher was the famous Michael Pacher's relative and collaborator. His style developed under the influence of Michael. This panel is one half of a predella which consisted of two parts for the representation of the most highly revered saints of the Franciscan order. The other side also depicts Franciscan saints. This panel adorned the lower, not very clearly visible, subordinate addition to a major altarpiece, hence the modest colour scheme content to forgo variety. Gaunt faces with strong cheek-bones, receding chins and thin lips are frequent in the master's oeuvre. The minutely elaborate broken folds, particularly at the elbows of sleeves, reveal the important part of sculpture in the activities of Michael Pacher, the most outstanding member of the studio, and also the deep absorption of sculptural forms in his style of far-reaching influence. The text giving the names of the donors and the date in fine Gothic minuscules occupies an outstanding place in the lower image field.The wounds are "stigmata", wounds of Christ miraculously appearing on some saints, most recently Padre Pio. The artist did not know it, but St. Francis received very unusual stigmata, -- they were protuberances of flesh in the shape resembling nails, rather than wounds as depicted.
St Francis Receiving the Stigmata
The Master of San Francesco Bardi
1240-50
Tempera on wood, 81 x 51 cm
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence