sented both St. John and St. Francis with a veryloving and kind expressions on their faces, which could very well be symbolic of anumber of things: the adoration and love that both Saints experienced towardsChrist/God, the love and kindness, or the good, that the Christian religion conveys, or theinner happiness and the peace of mind, or the reward, that the person would inevitablyachieve by following the word of Christ. Both Saints are also portrayed in a very simple,almost material-free surroundings. St. Francis is being shown in what seems to me likea cave, wearing nothing but a robe and a cape, with the crucifix, the skull, and the bookbeing the only things present, and St. John is shown in a field, wearing animal furs, andholding only a cross in his hand. That carries a very powerful message the meaning ofwhich is that not only it is possible for one to go about his daily life without indulging inthe wordly matters, but that in order to truly reach and follow the word of God oneshould abstain from those matters completely, and concentrate only on the developmentof the spiritual growth and happiness. The portrayal of the right profile of St. Francis issymbolic of the right, or true way of the Christianity, same meaning that St. Johnslook to the right conveys. The cross that St. John holds in his hand might be symbolic ofChristianity, and the sheep lying at St. Johns feet might be symbolic of him as a goodshepherd who is taking good care and showing the right way, (just like Jesus in a lot ofcases being showed surrounded by sheep's.)In both of his works of art, El Greco is working within a same format, a verticalrectangle. The scaling of the works, however, is different. St. Francis venerating thecrucifix is about four by eight feet in size, whereas St. John the Baptist is only about twoand a half by four feet in size. The medium used in both works is the same, oil on canvas.The composition of both works is also very similar, probabl...
