Frescoes in the Upper Church
by GIOTTO

Not long after the completion of the upper wall surfaces and of the vault in the Upper Church of San Francesco in Assisi, work would have begun on the lower walls of the nave. At the request of the order, something was to be realized here which had never before been attempted in such a fashion - the history and progress of the great saint and founder of the order, whom the old people of the area might still be able to remember as a living person, were to be brought to the attention of the faithful in the form of a frieze. The intention was to develop a pictorial version of the life story of the saint, which would then act as the model for all further representations.

The patrons recognized Giotto as the artist best suited to this unique undertaking. This cycle of pictures has occupied generations of art historians. The questions of dating - whether they were painted shortly before or shortly after the first Holy Year of 1300 - and of authorship were judged particularly controversial. In the latter case, attributions veer between a Roman artist, Cavallini, and the Florentine artist, Giotto.

Preview Picture Data File Info Comment
View of the nave from the east
-
Photo
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi

817*1087
True Color
150 Kb



View of the nave from the east
-
Photo
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi

901*1100
True Color
245 Kb



View of the interior towards the altar
-
Fresco
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi

900*1209
True Color
169 Kb



View of the interior towards the altar
-
Fresco
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi

1227*825
True Color
199 Kb



Legend of St Francis: Scenes Nos. 1-3
1297-99
Fresco
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi

900*1104
True Color
260 Kb



Frescoes in the fourth bay of the nave
1290s
Fresco
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi

900*1050
True Color
183 Kb



Legend of St Francis: Scenes Nos. 4-6
1297-99
Fresco
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi

900*1102
True Color
268 Kb



Legend of St Francis: Scenes Nos. 7-9
1297-99
Fresco
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi

900*1117
True Color
235 Kb



Legend of St Francis: Scenes Nos. 10-12
1297-99
Fresco
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi

900*1114
True Color
246 Kb



Legend of St Francis: Scenes Nos. 14-15
1297-99
Fresco
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi

850*1075
True Color
240 Kb



Legend of St Francis: Scenes Nos. 17-19
1297-99
Fresco
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi

850*1138
True Color
240 Kb



Legend of St Francis: Scenes Nos. 20-22
1297-99
Fresco
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi

850*1107
True Color
230 Kb



Frescoes in the second bay of the nave
1290s
Fresco
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi

850*1044
True Color
180 Kb



Legend of St Francis: Scenes Nos. 23-25
1297-99
Fresco
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi

850*1113
True Color
226 Kb



Saint Francis and Saint Clare
1279-1300
Fresco
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi

624*792
True Color
112 Kb




Summary of paintings by Giotto
Frescoes in San Francesco, Assisi
Upper Church: Legend of St Francis | New Testament scenes | Lower Church
Frescoes in Arena Chapel, Padua
Life of Joachim | Life of Virgin | Life of Christ | Angels | Heads
Last Judgment | Heads
Vault frescoes | Virtues and Vices | Decorative elements
Frescoes in Santa Croce, Florence
Frescoes in Peruzzi Chapel | Frescoes in Bardi Chapel
Panel paintings
Crucifix | Maestŕ and others | Polyptych panels | Stefaneschi Altarpiece | Baroncelli Polyptych
Miscellaneous works
Navicella mosaic | Campanile of the Florence Cathedral