This is a detail of the great crucifix painted on board, found in the vast "San Francesco" church at Arezzo, built in Franciscan style. The Crucifix is centrally hung at the entrance to the choir, against the backdrop formed by the choir itself, with its stained glass windows and celebrated “legend of the Cross” by Piero della Francesca. The work goes back to the XIII century and is attributed to Margaritone d'Arezzo, whose visible Byzantine features nonetheless show a vigorous psychological expressionism, which is best admired in the masterpiece – certainly by his own hand – depicting Saint Francis and housed in the art gallery of Arezzo.

The portrait of Francis is a detail, clearly visible although not too large, of the whole composition. It represents the Saint on bended knees embracing the right foot of Jesus and kissing the wound. Prominent are the blood of Jesus, which flows to the ground, the wounds on the feet of the Crucified, two large black points echoed by the stigmata in the hand and side of Francis, the intensity of the Saint’s face and eyes and his whole person.

Its meaning for us is evident in the iconography: Francis has taken Jesus as the model for his life, drawn by his love for humanity that led him to die on the cross, “offering himself by his own blood as a sacrifice and victim on the altar of the cross.… in atonement for our sins… and it is his will that all should be saved through him”. (Letter to the Faithful,). Francis wished to respond to this great love, conforming his life to it in accordance with the teaching of Jesus, and he asked his brothers to do the same: "The rule and life of the lesser brothers is this: to observe the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ”.