Last week, for the feast of St Francis of Assisi, I posted about the oldest known altarpiece of him, the work of an artist named Bonventura Berlinghieri, which is dated to 1235, only seven years after Francis’ canonization. As a follow-up, here is the second oldest such work, known as the Bardi altarpiece or panel, after the chapel where it has been kept since 1595 within the Franciscan order’s church in Florence, the basilica of the Holy Cross. For a long time, the artist’s name was unknown, and he was simply called the Master of the Bardi St Francis. It is now generally accepted as the work of a Florentine painter called Coppo di Marcovaldo, who lived from roughly 1225-76; about 10 other works of his survive, almost all in various parts of Tuscany, but only three are attributed to him with absolute certainty. The painting is dated to around 1245-50; if the attribution to Coppo is correct, that would mean he made it when he about 20-25 years old. (All images from Wikimedia Commons by Francesco Bini, CC BY-SA 4.0.)
The Bardi panel is very similar in form to Berlinghieri’s, but much more elaborate, with 20 stories from the Saint’s life, where the other has only six. Some of these stories are taken from Thomas of Celano’s biography, the first, written in 1228-9, very shortly after the canonization, and do not appear in the version by St Bonaventure which officially replaced it in 1266. The Saint appears in the middle, wearing the Franciscan habit, showing the stigmata as he gives a blessing, and holding a book. The border around him is populated with Franciscan friars. The inscription above his head reads, “Hunc exaudite perhibentem dogmata vitae. - Listen to this man who offers the teachings of life.” Although the body of St Francis is still artificially elongated in the manner of the Byzantine iconographic style which prevailed in Italy at the time, the proportions of the head, hands and feet are much better rendered than in Berlinghieri’s work.
The Bardi panel is similar in form to Berlinghieri’s, but more elaborate, with 20 stories from the Saint’s life, where the other has only six. Some of these are taken from Thomas of Celano’s biography, the first, written in 1228-9, very shortly after the canonization, and do not appear in the version by St Bonaventure which officially replaced it in 1266. They run counterclockwise from the upper left side. Here we see St Francis delivered from prison after being captured during a battle between Assisi and its perennial rival, nearby Perugia, and his renunciation of all his worldly possessions in the presence of his parents and of the bishop of Assisi.
Francis designs the habit of his followers (not yet an order in the proper sense) in the presence of the bishop of Assisi, and hears the words from the reading of the Gospel which will inspire the Franciscan rule and way of life. At the lower right, he removes his shoes as a symbol of his embrace of poverty.
Francis and his followers receive approval of the Rule from Pope Innocent III, and he makes the first Christmas creche.
Preaching to the birds, and to the Saracens in the presence of the Sultan.
Francis rescues a lamb which is grazing among goats, and exchanges his habit to rescue two lambs that are being taken to slaughter.
Francis receives the stigmata, and does public penance for improperly breaking a fast.
Francis teaches the lepers, holding one on his knee and washing the feet of another; he appears to Brother Monaldo during a general chapter of the order held at Arles in southern France, while St. Anthony is preaching.
The remaining panels (those on the right side) are to be read upwards from the bottom. During his funeral, as his soul ascends to heaven, Francis heals a girl with a twisted neck and several demoniacs.
Pope Gregory IX canonizes him; he prevents the wreck of a ship sailing out of Ancona on the Adriatic coast of Italy.
Pilgrims bring offerings of candles to his tomb; he heals a man suffering from gout.
