Saint Francis: The Casentino Valley, the Assisi Manuscripts and Iconography

The Castle of the Guidi Counts in Poppi hosts an exhibition dedicated to Saint Francis, featuring manuscripts, art and spirituality

On the occasion of the celebrations marking the eighth centenary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Castle of the Guidi Counts in Poppi hosts the exhibition “SAINT FRANCIS. The Casentino Valley, the Assisi Manuscripts and Iconography”, an exhibition project that connects the figure of the Saint with the historical, artistic and spiritual heritage of the Casentino Valley.

At the heart of the exhibition are the manuscripts preserved in the Rilliana Library in Poppi, valuable codices originally from the Sacred Convent of Assisi. Alongside this documentary core, the exhibition presents works and artefacts dedicated to the evolution of the image of Saint Francis over the centuries, showing how artists and communities have interpreted his message through painting, illumination and devotion.

Curated by Claudio Ubaldo Cortoni, Michel Scipioni and Francesco Traversi, the exhibition is not limited to the spaces of the Castle, but creates a wider itinerary across the area. The project also involves the Capuchin Convent of Ponte a Poppi and the Monastery of Camaldoli, with the “Odoardo Baroncini” Library, connecting symbolic places of Franciscan and Benedictine spirituality.

The exhibition invites visitors to rediscover the role of the Casentino Valley in Franciscan memory and the deep bond between this area, La Verna, Camaldoli and medieval religious culture.