Explore the Plague Victim about the Interpretation of this artwork, Miracles of St. Francis Xavier (Rubens).
Researchers are not sure how Rubens received information about the bubonic plague, a deadly disease, because he never had the disease. There is a possibility that Rubens received information about the disease through plague treatises. Another possibility is that Rubens was inspired by an art piece created by Jacopo Tintoretto, called St. Roch Healing Plague Victims. The art piece has figures that have postures similar to the male figure in this painting. It is theorized that the male figure in the lower left corner of the altarpiece is to have been a victim of the plague. It is suggested that the male figure's posture has been referenced from other paintings that depict the plague. Among these plague paintings include St. Francis of Paola, another painting created by Rubens. Researchers have theorized that the plague is symbolized by the figure's exposed underarm.
Jacopo Tintoretto Tintoretto bubonic plague altarpiece