Decorating the walls of Basilica of St Francis in Assisi are 28 frescos detailing the life of St Francis’s, including his ghost. All portray great religious scenes, such as St Francis preaching in the presence of the pope. The artist behind the works is currently in dispute- originally thought to be Giotto, scholars had began to doubt it, and evidence from 2002 has provided evidence to the theory.
When restoration was done recently, a new detail emerged. In the 20th fresco, one
of the more famous detailing the death of St Francis, in the clouds surrounded
by angels, is a face. Complete with a sly smile, hooked nose, horns, the devil
is hiding. First discovered by an art restorer, the face is nearly invisible
from the floor. Many different theories as to why the devil was included are floating around. Some wonder if the artist did it mocking an acquaintance, and others believe it to show that the devil is always there- waiting for you to slip up. it may also be a reminder of St Francis in his youth, when he admitted to being a sinner. No matter the reason, it was not designed to be a major part, just a hidden little detail forgotten for decades.
This is very interesting! at first glance I would have never noticed the detail in the clouds that portrays the devil. Its amazing that this detail had been lost throughout the years and rediscovered after its restoration. It truly is the small details that can change the way we view an entire painting.
ReplyDeleteI followed this story when it broke, and also thought it was interesting. I try to keep track of images of devils for my witch-hunts class. This is a devil with a small d, right? It's not too terribly scary. To go scary, google "Lucca Signorelli Orvieto devil" or "Lucca Signorelli Orvieto Antichrist". Good job finding an unusual element.
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