<div><p>Giovanni Bellini’s <I>St. Francis in the Desert</I> (c. 1476?78) is a masterpiece of Venetian Renaissance art that has inspired generations of visitors to The Frick Collection. This monumental panel painting portrays the beloved Christian saint alone in a mountainous wilderness, stepping forward from his simple shelter into a golden light that seems to transfigure him spiritually. For centuries, viewers have puzzled over the work’s meaning; until recently, however, the artist’s practical conception and realization of this extraordinary vision have remained largely unexplored.</p><p><BR><I>In a New Light</I> presents the collective findings of an unprecedented technical examination of <I>St. Francis in the Desert</I>. The recent discoveries provide a ?glimpse over Bellini’s shoulder” and open new avenues of research into Venetian Renaissance painting and its cultural and religious context. A richly illustrated monograph of a single picture, In a New Light comprises essays by leading experts in the fields of paintings conservation, Venetian art, the history of collecting, and Franciscan thought.</p><BR></div>