Saint Margaret’s | St. Francis

St. Francis of Assisi

Sculpture by Frances Rich

St. Francis of Assisi at St. Margaret's School has traveled more than most people. This bronze is 6 ft 7 inch in height and was cast in 1951 at the Nicci Foundry, Trastevere, Rome, Italy. It was one of 12 such castings done from the original clay sculpture. I believe that the St. Francis at St. Margaret's is unit #3.

The picture to the left was taken in 1952 at the foundry and was copied from the book The Sculpture of Frances Rich by Merle Armitage. The inscription on the plate reads:

The Firestone St. Francis of Assisi
Now at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, Palm Desert California 1972

It started its journey to St. Margaret's in 1952.

This particular bronze was to be the personal one kept by Frances Rich herself. It was moved to her Santa Barbara studio where it stayed or was shown in a number of exhibitions.

After Irene and Frances bought the Shumway Ranch (in the mountains above Palm Desert) in June 1963 it was moved to this ideal studio.

In 1969 the Palm Springs Desert Museum had a retrospective on Frances Rich and the St. Francis was on display.

From a column in the local newspaper May 12,1970 by Dorothy Watson "The Firestones saw the statue in Miss Rich's retrospective exhibit in Palm Springs last fall. They wanted to buy it and place it where many people could enjoy it.

At this point the story goes that Leonard Firestone tried to buy the bronze and Ms. Rich told him it was her copy and it stayed at the Shumway Ranch. Mr. Firestone asked her how many people get to see it there and she replied 'not many'.

At this point Mr. Firestone told her he thought it was rather selfish of her as it should be where many people could enjoy it. Ms. Rich laughed and the deal was made.
She sold it to the Firestones and they in turn donated it to St. Margaret's Church. It was dedicated December 5,1970 by Bishop Bloy.

The traveling does not stop there, it has been several places on our campus. The first location was outside the first church (now Karns Hall). At some point it was felt that it seemed silly to have a statue of St. Francis outside of St. Margaret's Church, it was then moved to the court yard on the West wall of what is now the gift shop. When the new church was built it was moved to the north side and a special railing was built to offset it. At some point after the school was built it was moved to the school and then again to its present location at the school. Below are the four locations that we have pictures of St. Francis on St. Margaret's property.

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