My painting Saint Francis of Assisi and the Heavenly Melody is initially inspired by Olivier Messiaen's The Angel Musicians from Saint Francis of Assisi, Music from Heaven,
and, of course, the various medieval works depicting the death of Saint
Francis of Assisi, plus the famous. albeit more recent work, by Frank
Cadogan Cowper (1877-1958) who was known as the last of the
Pre-Raphaelites. With the exception of the death of Saint Francis where
an angel is invariably always in close proximity, other works have
generally been set in daylight. Mine is set at dusk with a full moon in
evidence to enhance the mystical aspect of the occasion where a
celestial melody entrances the little saint on whose feast day I was
episcopally consecrated. My mother fell into quiet repose on the feast
of the Holy Guardian Angels one year later, having been preceded by four
months by Messiaen, one of my favourite composers who shared
the same birthday as my father who died eight years after them both.
