St Francis of Assisi (Christian Saint) Tile

This design features a painting by the Russian artist Nicholas Roerich (1874–1947). It is an elegant depiction of the Christian Saint, Francis of Assisi (known in Italian as Francesco), who lived in the 13th century. Francis of Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar, deacon, mystic and preacher. He is the founder of the Franciscan Order and patron saint of animals and the natural environment, because he had a great love for nature and other creatures; some people say that he could talk to wild animals. He is shown here holding some birds close to his chest. The original artwork was painted in a symbolist style, and it was completed in 1931.