Saint Francis before the Sultan of Egypt Malec-el-Kamal

Ca. 1787. Oil on canvas.
On display elsewhere

It is part of the series of thirty-three scenes from the Life of Saint Francis (Assisi, Italy, 1182-1226) painted for the basilica of San Francisco el Grande in Madrid. The painters José Camarón y Bonanat (1731-1803), Antonio Carnicero (1748-1814) and Manuel de la Cruz (1750-1792) were involved in this cycle, which belongs entirely to the Museo del Prado.

This scene, commissioned to its author for the decoration of the lower cloister, represents the evangelizing journey made by St. Francis, along with other companions, through the lands of the East in the year 1219. During these wanderings they were taken prisoner by the Saracens and led into the presence of Sultan Malik al-Kamel (1180-1238), in front of whom the saint preached the faith of Christ.

Díez, José Luis (dir.), Pintura del Siglo XIX en el Museo del Prado: catálogo general, Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado, 2015, p.241

See work in timeline

Series

Vida de San Francisco. Claustro de la Iglesia de San Francisco el Grande, Madrid

RDF

Technical data

Saint Francis before the Sultan of Egypt Malec-el-Kamal

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Inventory number: P003499
Author: Zacarías González Velázquez
Title: Saint Francis before the Sultan of Egypt Malec-el-Kamal
Date: Ca. 1787
Technique: Oil
Support: Canvas
Dimension: Height: 215.00002 cm; Width: 271 cm
Series: Vida de San Francisco. Claustro de la Iglesia de San Francisco el Grande, Madrid
Provenance: Commission from the Patronage of the Basilica of Saint Francis the Great (Madrid) to the artist for the decoration of the lower cloister, 1786; Museo de la Trinidad, 1836–1872.
Entry date: 1872

Bibliography +

Ponz, Antonio, Viage de España. Vol. I, Joachin Ibarra, Madrid, 1793, pp. 109.

García Barriuso, Patrocinio, San Francisco el Grande de Madrid: aportación documental para su historia, Madrid, 1975, pp. 502, nº32.

Espinós, Adela; Orihuela, Mercedes y Royo Villanova, Mercedes, "El Prado disperso". Cuadros depositados en Madrid. I. Iglesia de San Francisco el Grande, Boletín del Museo del Prado, I, 1980, pp. 58.

Museo Nacional del Prado, Museo del Prado: inventario general de pinturas (II). Museo de la Trinidad, Museo del Prado, Espasa Calpe, Madrid, 1991, pp. nº1031.

Díez, José Luis (dir.), Pintura del Siglo XIX en el Museo del Prado: catálogo general, Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid, 2015, pp. 241.

Other inventories +

Inv. Museo de la Trinidad, Pintura. Núm. 1031.
1031. / Sn Fran.co rodeado de maometanos á quienes parece exsortar, á la dra. se en cuentra un califa sentado en un sillon figª de cuerpo entº y tamº nat.l / Z.as Velazquez / Alto 2,16 1/2: ancho 2,72. / Id. id. id. Este cuadro tiene un rasguño