Art and Rieti

The presence of Saint Francis in the Sacred Valley had a profound influence on the art in the Rieti area as can be seen by the architecture and paintings.
Discover the impact Saint Francis had on the artistic expression in Rieti through some of the most important paintings.

The Frescoes in the Apse in the Church of Saint Francis in Rieti
A strange phenomenon occurred at the beginning of the 14^th century in Rieti. A few years after Giotto had finished his paintings in the Upper Church of the Basilica in Assisi, an anonymous painter of great merit re-created the entire Giotto cycle on the walls of the apse in the Church of Saint Francis and Rieti. Six scenes from this extraordinary undertaking have resurfaced from the plaster in the apse: the Dream of Innocent III, the Crèche of Greccio, the Vision of the Fire Chariot, the Vision of the Thrones, the Recovery of the Wounded Man of Lerida, and the Liberation of Pietro of Alife. Thanks to this “copy”, the Franciscan Order sanctioned a special tie between Assisi and Rieti: two of Saint Francis’ homelands.

The Triptych by Zanino di Pietro
The Civic Museum of Rieti houses a painting on wood of great interest that depicts a crucifixion in the centre and six saints, including Saint Francis, on the sides. On the exterior of the panels that close the triptych, there are four scenes from the life of Saint Francis: the Renunciation of Worldly Goods, the Crèche of Greccio, Receiving the Stigmata and Preaching to the Birds. This masterpiece was painted by Zanino di Pietro, a painter of French origin who worked in the Veneto area. The work dates to the early 15^th century and comes from the Fontecolombo Sanctuary. It is evidence of Zanino’s refined and complex culture: echoes of courtly Gothic style blend with the great tradition of Venetian art.

Antoniazzo Romano and the Table with the Episode of the Stigmata
One of the greatest 15^th century painters, Antoniazzo Romano, was inspired by the figure of Saint Francis when he executed this painting on wood. The work is preserved in the Civic Museum of Rieti but it comes from the Franciscan Convent of Sant'Antonio al Monte near Rieti.
The very original mix of Medieval and Renaissance styles reaches its apex in this painting: the mystic space of the gold background, typical of the Middle Ages, houses the solid figure of Saint Francis who is in full Renaissance garb.
Especially memorable is the detail of the Saint’s right hand outstretched in space in perfect perspective.

Vincenzo Manenti’s Portrait of Saint Francis
Around the middle of the 17th century, Vincenzo Manenti painted one of his best works, the Madonna with Child with Saints Francis and Elizabeth of Hungary. The painting, which has recently been restored, can be found in the Church of Saint Francis in Rieti. The landscape in the background, extended and peaceful, looks like a photograph of the Sacred Valley. The intense naturalism of Saint Francis’ face is striking and it is magnified by the palette of colours of the Saints’ clothes that go from bright red to burnished colours.