Saint Francis of Assisi
St Francis is regarded as one of the greatest examples of how to live the Christian ideal and was canonised in 1228. Throughout his life, he developed a love of nature and is known as the patron saint of the environment and animals.
Born c.1181 in Assisi, Italy, St Francis was known as a spoilt child and teenager who indulged in fine foods, wine and wild celebrations. His father was a wealthy cloth merchant who owned farmland around Assisi and it was expected that Francis would follow in his footsteps, however, Francis was keen to become a soldier.
In 1202 Francis fought in the war between Assisi and Perugia, but was captured and held prisoner for nearly a year. He later reported that during his time in prison he began to receive visions from God who told him to repair the Christian Church and live a life of poverty. Francis obeyed and devoted himself to Christianity, preaching to humans and animals. Later in life, Francis reportedly received a vision from God that left him with the stigmata of Christ. Some people believed that they were merely a sign of the leprosy he had caught during his vocation, others regarded him as a madman whose visions were hallucinations brought on by mental illness and poor health.
Little is known of the sculptor Leveritt. She was active in the 1930s and exhibited work in stone and bronze at the Royal Academy. This sculpture could have been intended for a Catholic church or another religious institution, possibly as a holy water stoup.
