A hooded figure kneels in a rocky, shadowed landscape, gazing upward with wide, luminous eyes toward a burst of radiant light in the upper left corner. The figure’s pale, elongated face and expressive hands, one of which is raised with a visible wound in the palm, identify him as Francis of Assisi receiving the stigmata. His coarse, brown habit is rendered with sweeping, textured brushstrokes that give weight and movement to the folds of the fabric.

A skull rests on a cloth at his left, its yellowed surface stark against the dark earth, symbolizing mortality and contemplation. The background is dominated by deep browns and blacks, with jagged forms suggesting rocks or mountains, while the supernatural light above is painted in swirling whites and blues, casting an unearthly glow. The composition draws the viewer’s attention upward along the saint’s gaze to the source of the divine vision, while the dramatic contrasts of light and shadow heighten the sense of spiritual ecstasy.

The paint surface shows visible, energetic brushwork, especially in the highlights of the habit and the radiant streaks of light, conveying a sense of immediacy and fervor. The saint’s hands are elongated and expressive, their gestures reinforcing the intensity of the moment. The skull’s placement at the lower left anchors the composition and introduces a note of solemn reflection. The title Ecstasy of Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata identifies the subject as the moment Francis of Assisi receives the wounds of Christ.

El Greco paints this scene around 1600, as noted by the São Paulo Museum of Art. The museum’s description confirms the depiction of Francis of Assisi receiving the stigmata, a central event in the saint’s life. The presence of the skull, as listed in the museum’s record, underscores the painting’s meditation on mortality and spiritual transformation.