On Monday morning, the world learned that Pope Francis passed away at age 88, marking the end of his 12-year papacy. The funeral, held Saturday in Vatican City’s St. Peter’s Square, will remember the pope’s life and legacy. Francis’s tenure as pope was characterized by a push toward inclusivity and care for the marginalized. But it was also marked by Francis’s affection for the arts.
According to the New York Times, the late pope often discussed art, which, for him, was a “vital reality” that he placed in contrast to the “throwaway culture” of the global market.
He would also share his preferences. His favorite painting was Caravaggio’s the “Calling of St. Matthew,” located in Rome’s church of the French congregation, San Luigi dei Francesi. The work, which resides in the church’s Contarelli Chapel, is an oil painting completed by the Milanese-born artist in 1600. And it has been on view in the chapel ever since.
The painting depicts a scene from the New Testament, where Jesus Christ finds St. Matthew and invites him to give up his job in tax collection in order to follow him. In the painting, Christ points to Matthew, selecting him, as he, with one hand, points to himself, and, with the other, reaches for coins on the wooden table in front of him.
“It is the gesture of Matthew that strikes me,” Francis once said, per the Times. “He holds on to his money as if to say, ‘No, not me! No, this money is mine.’”
“Here, this is me, a sinner on whom the Lord has turned his gaze,” the pope continued. “And this is what I said when they asked me if I would accept my election as pontiff.”
The “Calling of St. Matthew” is not the only Caravaggio work Pope Francis enjoyed. In fact, he spoke about his appreciation for the artist’s work en masse.
“Among the great painters, I admire Caravaggio; his paintings speak to me,” Francis said, per the Times. The paper also noted that the late pope selected a Caravaggio to display at the current World Expo in Osaka, Japan. The Vatican’s pavilion features the artist’s painting of Christ being lowered into a tomb, entitled «The Deposition» (1600-1604).
Annie Goldsmith is the senior editor and digital lead at ELLE Decor, where she covers design, culture, style, and trends. She previously held positions at The Information, covering technology and culture, and Town & Country, writing about news, entertainment, and fashion. Her work has also appeared in Vogue, Rolling Stone, and the SF Standard.
