Franciscan Art as Propaganda: The Conventuals and the Chapel of Saint Martin in San Francesco at Assisi

Abstract

The Chapel of Saint Martin is noteworthy not only because of its subject matter, but also because of the relatively little information known about its commission and patron. This paper will not address all these issues, but rather will focus on the significance of the chapel's decoration in context of the rift within the Franciscan order. Chapter One provides an overview of the Spirituals and the Conventuals, the two groups into which the Order divided. I focus on how they propagandized their beliefs through literature and works of art, specifically biographies of Francis and images of him. Chapter Two looks at the Legenda aurea, its widespread diffusion and popularity, and its use as the primary source for the frescos in the Chapel of Saint Martin. I compare the life of Saint Martin in the Legenda with the Vita Martini and then offer a detailed description of the chapel fresco cycle following the narrative of the Legenda. Chapter Three examines the life of the patron, the style of the painter, and the chapel's audience. I consider these factors and their relationship to the iconography of the frescos to understand what makes the cycle distinctly Conventual. I argue that the program is a direct result of Conventual beliefs, shared by both the patron and those responsible for the program; the Conventual desire to unify the Order; and their intention to propagandize their views that justify their deviations from the commands of Saint Francis. [From Introduction]