On the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the stigmata of St. Francis, observed on October 24th, the exhibition titled “Celebrate Francis at the Time of Francis” was inaugurated in the medieval section of the Vatican Museums' Picture Gallery. This space, dedicated to artworks from the time of St. Francis, was presented by Dr. Barbara Jatta and Dr. Anna Pizzamano, the Director and Curator, respectively, of the Byzantine and Medieval Art Department of the Vatican Museums, alongside Professor Claudia Bolgia from the University of Udine. They explored the distant year of 1224 through Franciscan hagiographical sources and artistic evidence.
In the first presentation Professor Bolgia explained the ancient facade of the Basilica of St. Peter, as created by uncoated drawing before its demolition and texts of Thomas of Celano and the Gospels. The front part was presenting a mosaic collection with Jesus at the center besides and down and the evangelists on the sides and down 24 “sirs”. On the front part of the mosaic also there was Gregory IX, the Pope who canonized St. Francis.
In the gallery, Dr. Anna Pizzamano has presented some works of art and has explained them by using Franciscan hagiographical sources. Among these works we find: The funeral rite of, St. Francis, Pseudo-Jacopino; St. Francis of Assisi and four miracles after his death, from the workshop of Giunta Pisano; St. Francis, Margitone of Arezzo; the death of St. Francis, the Virgin of the Apocalypse, Saints, Angels and the dead, John Biondo; mistico union of St. Francis with lady poverty, of Octavian Nelli. On the exhibition there is a mosaic of the head of St. Luke the Evangelists which has just been renovated. It belonged to the first front part of the Basilica of St. Peter.
