A Red Sun by Joan Miro in the Cantic del Sol aquatint

In 1975, Joan Miró illustrated a religious poem composed in 1224 by Saint Francis of Assisi. The poem, titled Canticle of the Sun, is one of the earliest literary compositions in Italian. It celebrates God as the Creator of the universe through its seven elements, one of which is the Sun.

Miró’s etchings were published in an edition of 250 copies, accompanied by a Catalan translation titled Càntic del Sol. The striking aquatint from the Goldin Fine Art collection is numbered 157.

Joan Miro. Cantic Del Sol V. Etching, aquatint in colors. 1975. Goldin Fine Art collection.

The red ovoid shape is a recurring motif throughout Miró’s art, symbolizing the Sun. It embodies the essence of his aesthetic — bold colors, playful lines, and vibrant imagery. The artist once said:

“In a painting, you should be able to discover new things each time you look at it. For me, a painting must give off sparks. It must dazzle like the beauty of a woman or a poem.”

This aquatint, Plate V, is dedicated to the Sun and corresponds to the following lines of the poem:

Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures,
especially through my lord Brother Sun,
who brings the day; and you give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendour.
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

The original poem was also known as Laudes Creaturarum (Praise of the Creatures).