A major exhibition in Arezzo traces the evolution of the image of Saint Francis from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century

“The Image of Francis – From the Middle Ages to the Twentieth Century” stems from the deep bond between the city and the saint from Assisi, who experienced some central moments of his spiritual journey in the Arezzo area: from Cortona to La Verna, through to the famous episode of the expulsion of the demons from Arezzo, handed down by Franciscan tradition and depicted by Giotto in the Upper Basilica of Assisi.

The exhibition takes place in two venues in the historic centre: the Galleria Comunale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, in Piazza San Francesco, next to the basilica that houses Piero della Francesca’s cycle of the True Cross, and the Sala Sant’Ignazio, in Via Giosuè Carducci.

The exhibition brings together around sixty works and documents, including paintings, miniatures, sculptures and stained glass windows, from the Arezzo area and from important Italian and international museums and collections. The display follows a chronological path, from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century, with thematic insights dedicated to the most significant moments in the life and iconographic fortune of Francis.

From the earliest representations, in which the saint still appears tonsured and bearded, the itinerary moves towards the gradual definition of his image: the habit, the cord, the stigmata, prayer, ecstasy, dialogue with nature and the spiritual dimension. Over the centuries, artists have interpreted Francis in different ways, transforming him into a mystical figure, a model of poverty, a symbol of peace and a universal point of reference.

Among the artists featured are Margarito d’Arezzo, Beato Angelico, Sandro Botticelli, Andrea Della Robbia, Giorgio Vasari, Annibale Carracci, Guercino, Jacopo Ligozzi, Pietro da Cortona, Luca Giordano, Antonio Ciseri, Libero Andreotti and Gerardo Dottori.

Curated by Cristina Acidini, with a scientific committee chaired by Carlo Sisi, the exhibition offers an opportunity to rediscover the relationship between Arezzo and Saint Francis through art, devotion and the history of the territory. An itinerary that connects the city with the great Franciscan places of Tuscany and invites visitors to look at the image of the saint as a living presence, still able to speak to the present.

The exhibition is also an invitation to discover the Arezzo area through The Ways of Francis in the Lands of Arezzo, experiences to be enjoyed independently along itineraries of different lengths and levels of difficulty, where nature intertwines with spirituality, art and culture. Go to the dedicated page, click here.