Trial by Fire of St. Francis of Assisi before the Sultan of Egypt 1320

This fresco of St. Francis of Assisi before the Sultan of Egypt was made by Giotto in Florence, sometime around 1315-1320. Made on a still-damp plaster surface using pigments mixed only with water, the fresco is a time-based medium. A team of artists would have worked quickly to complete each section while the plaster was still wet, giving the work its slightly patchwork appearance. The vibrant colors are thanks to the natural mineral pigments that have bonded with the wall over time. With its flat perspective and stylized figures, Giotto’s image seems to adhere to tradition, yet it departed from the Byzantine style popular at the time. There’s an immediacy, a realism in the rendering of these figures that suggests a new way of seeing things. This work reminds us that art-making has always been collaborative, and tied to the social and economic realities of its time. The quality of the materials, the skill of the artists, and the labor involved all contribute to the meaning of this powerful image.