Giotto’s saint Francis frescoes shine again in Florence
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Restorers in Florence, Italy completed a four-year project to restore the Stories of Saint Francis frescoes painted by Giotto in the Bardi Chapel of Basilica di Santa Croce.
The Opera di Santa Croce, alongside the Opificio delle Pietre dure, led the restoration with funding from the Ministry of Culture, Fondazione CR Firenze, Arpai, and private donors. The work clarified the paintings and revealed the intensity of Giotto’s expression and innovative use of painted space.
The restored frescoes depict six key moments in the life of Saint Francis of Assisi, including his renunciation of worldly possessions, the approval of his Rule, and his death. The project also helped experts identify differences in technique and style among the painters who worked with Giotto on the chapel’s decoration. This restoration coincides with the eight-hundredth anniversary of Saint Francis of Assisi’s death.
The renewed clarity of the frescoes allows viewers to better appreciate Giotto’s artistic contributions and the stories they tell.
