His face is framed by a hood, his expression intent and absorbed, as his arms open in a gesture of awe and reception. A knotted rope cinches his waist, its length trailing down to the ground, where it rests beside his bare foot. At his feet, another figure lies on his back, his body twisted and arm raised in astonishment, gazing toward the same celestial vision.

The background is almost entirely black, heightening the drama of the illumination that falls on the figures and the swirling, smoky light above. A tangle of brownish branches or leaves hovers in the upper left, barely visible against the darkness. The paint is applied in sweeping, expressive strokes, especially in the folds of the robes and the luminous effects of the light.

The color scheme is dominated by cold greys and whites in the clothing, set against the deep black of the background, with touches of ochre and green in the foliage and the light. The composition draws the viewer’s attention upward, following the gaze and gestures of both figures toward the source of the vision. The scene represents a moment described by the Lázaro Galdiano Museum: Saint Francis of Assisi, kneeling with arms outstretched, contemplates a heavenly light descending from the upper right. The iconography identifies the central figure as Francis of Assisi, a subject confirmed by the museum’s description and by the painting’s title. The painting’s dramatic contrasts of light and shade, elongated figures, and expressive gestures are characteristic of El Greco’s style in his late period.