Reflections On Two Personalities of the Middle Ages: Francis of Assisi & Giotto di Bondonne

Peasants working in a manor. Feudalism

Ora et labora... et bella

The life of a peasant in Medieval Europe was often perceived as insignificant, a relentless struggle for survival marked by scarce resources and complete dependence on the landlord. God’s presence loomed heavily over their daily lives, shaping their thoughts and actions. Ora et labora—"pray and work"—was the essence of their existence. As temporal authorities, the Church, and the nobility vied for dominance over society, peasants and serfs were often met with disdain and suspicion. Their essential role in sustaining the very foundation of society was frequently overlooked. Ironically, the oppressive structure of feudalism was sometimes justified as the divine will.

The Medieval period was punctuated by wars that brought forth figures of renown from both noble and warrior ranks. Yet amidst the violence and political intrigue of the 13th-century Italian city-states, a saint emerged from the crucible of conflict, embodying a different kind of heroism.

Medieval Knight from Westminster Psalter, ca. 1250

Francis of Assisi

Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone, later known as Francis of Assisi, was born in 1182 to a prosperous cloth merchant in the Umbria region of Italy. As a youth, Francis led a life characterized by indulgence, reveling in luxury, fine clothing, and the privileges afforded by his wealthy background. In 1201, he sought further adventure by joining a military campaign against the neighboring city-state of Perugia. Captured during the conflict, Francis spent a year as a prisoner in Collestrada. Upon his release, he returned home and soon fell gravely ill in 1204, a turning point that initiated his gradual spiritual transformation.

By 1205, Francis set out to join the army of the Count of Brienne in Puglia, seeking further military exploits. However, a divine vision intervened, prompting him to abandon his ambitions. He embraced a life of poverty and spiritual contemplation, renouncing his former lifestyle. In 1209, inspired by a sermon on the Gospel, Francis began preaching repentance in the Umbrian countryside. Adopting a simple, austere existence, he wore coarse garments and rejected material wealth, dedicating his life entirely to serving God.

Francis' message of humility and devotion soon attracted followers, and his reputation as a spiritual leader grew. Seeking formal recognition of his burgeoning movement, he obtained an audience with Pope Innocent III in 1210. The Pope, who had reportedly dreamt of a humble figure supporting a collapsing church, saw in Francis the fulfillment of this vision and approved the foundation of the Franciscan Order. This new order rapidly gained prominence, focusing on rebuilding churches and providing aid to the poor.

In September 1224, while engaged in deep prayer on Mount La Verna, Francis experienced the Stigmata—the manifestation of the five wounds of Christ’s crucifixion. His health declined following this event, and, suffering from both the Stigmata and an eye condition, Francis died on October 3, 1226, in Porziuncola, reputedly singing praises to God in his final moments.

Central to Francis of Assisi's teachings was the belief in the intrinsic connection between God and the natural world. In his Canticle of the Creatures, Francis personified elements of nature—such as the sun, moon, wind, and water—viewing them as integral parts of a divine creation in which humanity played a role, but not the central one. This theological perspective challenged anthropocentric views prevalent at the time, advocating for a more harmonious relationship between humans and the natural environment.

Francis is also credited with popularizing the use of live animals in Nativity scenes, emphasizing the importance of the natural world in the Christian narrative. His views on the sanctity of creation extended beyond mere reverence; he argued that humanity had a responsibility to care for and protect the environment, not only for its own sake but for the well-being of all creatures. His radical commitment to poverty and solidarity with the poor, combined with his ecological consciousness, marked a significant shift in Medieval thought and continues to influence contemporary discourses on social justice and environmental stewardship.

Saint Francis of Assisi -- Attributed to Cimabue (1240-1302). Detail

Giotto and the Art of Being Human

Giotto di Bondone, more commonly known as Giotto, was an influential Italian painter and architect born around 1266 in the region of Florence. Although little is known about his early life, historical accounts suggest that he trained under the notable Florentine artist Cimabue. Giotto’s contemporaries recognized his talent early on, with one account noting, “In his time, Giotto was the preeminent master of painting, adept at rendering figures and their features true to nature.”

Following the fall of Rome, the preservation and continuation of the arts and learning became largely the responsibility of the Catholic Church. Over the course of three centuries, the Church directed the development of knowledge and artistic expression in ways that aligned with its religious doctrines. During Giotto’s era, Byzantine art dominated the European aesthetic. This style, which was heavily influenced by religious symbolism, often presented human figures in a stylized and abstract manner. Realism, a hallmark of Classical antiquity, was viewed with suspicion by the Church, which associated it with paganism. As a result, Byzantine art often featured static, rigid figures that lacked individuality, reduced to icon-like representations with little attention to human anatomy or naturalistic form.

Giotto, however, initiated a significant departure from these established conventions. In works such as the Ognissanti Madonna, while the overall composition retained elements of the Byzantine tradition—such as the arrangement of religious figures—Giotto introduced a groundbreaking level of realism. His figures, though still grounded in a religious context, exhibited a tangible human presence. Unlike the flat, schematic figures of Byzantine art, Giotto’s subjects possessed volume, weight, and distinct facial expressions. Their gestures and postures conveyed a lifelike immediacy that was largely absent in the dominant artistic style of the period.

This shift marked the beginning of a new artistic approach that emphasized naturalism and humanity, anticipating the Renaissance’s focus on the human figure and the observable world. Giotto’s pioneering work laid the groundwork for a transformation in Western art, moving away from the symbolic abstraction of the medieval period towards a more human-centered representation of religious themes. Through his innovations, Giotto not only revitalized Italian painting but also reintroduced the concept of art as a mirror of the human experience, blending spiritual content with a profound understanding of human form and emotion.

The Ognissanti Madonna by Giotto

Giotto on Francis of Assisi

Giotto’s association with the life of Saint Francis of Assisi is exemplified in his celebrated frescoes, particularly those in the Bardi Chapel. This distinguished series of seven frescoes depicts key moments from the life of the saint, illustrating significant episodes with a clarity and realism that departed sharply from the Byzantine artistic conventions of the time. Giotto’s approach diverged from the symbolic, rigid style characteristic of Byzantine art, embracing a more naturalistic and human-centered portrayal of religious subjects. His work in the Bardi Chapel represents not only a homage to Saint Francis but also a pivotal moment in the evolution of Western art, as it signaled a departure from medieval traditions and laid the foundation for the artistic innovations of the Renaissance. Through these frescoes, Giotto effectively introduced a new visual language that emphasized the human experience, foreshadowing the naturalism and emotional depth that would come to define Renaissance art.