The Story of Assisi

by Lina Duff Gordon

NOTE

My sincerest thanks are due to my aunt Mrs Ross, to Mrs Vaughan, Dr E. Percival Wright, M. Paul Sabatier, Mr Sidney Colvin, Sir William Markby and Mr Pearsall Smith, for the help rendered me in various ways during the writing of this book. I wish further to acknowledge the kindness of Mr Roger Fry who allowed me to quote from his lectures on Art delivered this year in London, before they were published in the New Monthly Review; and also the generous permission of Mr Anderson (Rome), and Signor Lunghi (Assisi), for allowing me to use their photographs. For the loan of old Italian books I am indebted to Cav. Bruschi, Librarian of the Marucelliana at Florence, to Professor Bellucci, Professor of the University of Perugia, and to Signor Rossi, proprietor of the Hotel Subasio at Assisi, whose intimate knowledge of his native town has been of great service to me.

L. D. G.

Poggio Gherardo,
Florence, October 1900.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I
PAGE
War and Strife		[1]
CHAPTER II
The Umbrian Prophet		[39]
CHAPTER III
The Carceri, Rivo-Torto and Life at thePortiuncula		[81]
CHAPTER IV
The building of the Basilica and Convent ofSan Francesco. The Story of BrotherElias		[117]
CHAPTER V
Cimabue and his School at San Francesco		[149]
CHAPTER VI
The Paintings of Giotto and his School in theLower Church		[168]
CHAPTER VII
The Sienese Masters in the Lower Church.The Convent		[198]
CHAPTER VIII
Giotto's Legend of St. Francis in the UpperChurch		[228]
CHAPTER IX
St. Clare at San Damiano. The Church ofSanta Chiara		[258]
CHAPTER X
Other Buildings in the Town		[289]
CHAPTER XI
The Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli. TheFeast of the Pardon of St. Francis orthe "Perdono d'Assisi"		[335]

ILLUSTRATIONS

Statue of St. Francis by Andrea della Robbia inSta. Maria degli Angeli (P. Lunghi—photo)		[Photogravure-Frontispiece]
PAGE
The Temple of Minerva		[3]
The Eastern Slope of Assisi with the Castle,from the Porta Cappucini		[10]
The Guelph Lion of Assisi		[22]
The Arms of Assisi		[37]
Assisi in the time of St. Francis		[38]
Via di S. Maria delle Rose		[58]
The Arms of the Franciscans		[80]
Hermitage of the Carceri		[82]
The Carceri with a View of the Bridge		[89]
Side Door of the Portiuncula built by St. Benedict		[99]
The Portiuncula in the time of St. Francis, fromthe "Collis Paradisi"		[107]
Assisi from the Plain		[113]
Church and Convent of San Francesco		[127]
San Francesco from the Plain		[147]
The Lower Church		[150]
Looking through the doors of the Upper Churchtowards the Porta S. Giacomo and theCastle		[157]
Plan of the Lower Church and Monastery ofSan Francesco at Assisi		[(facing) 168]
Choir and Transepts of the Lower Church		[172]
The Marriage of St. Francis with Poverty(D. Anderson—photo)		[179]
The Old Cemetery of San Francesco		[194]
The Knighthood of St. Martin by Simone Martini(D. Anderson—photo)		[201]
Bird's Eye View of the Basilica and Conventof San Francesco, from a drawing made in1820		[213]
San Francesco from the Tescio		[217]
Staircase leading from the Upper to the LowerPiazza of San Francesco		[220]
San Francesco from the Ponte S. Vittorino		[222]
A Friar of the Minor Conventual Order of St.Francis		[225]
St. Francis Renounces the World (D. Anderson—photo)		[233]
Death of the Knight of Celano (D. Anderson—photo)		[247]
Arms of the Franciscans from the Intarsia ofthe Stalls		[257]
Door through which St. Clare left the PalazzoScifi		[262]
San Damiano, showing the Window with theLedge whence St. Claire routed the Saracens		[268]
Santa Chiara		[282]
Santa Chiara from near the Porta Mojano		[287]
Campanile of San Rufino		[290]
Door of San Rufino		[295]
The Dome and Apse of San Rufino from theCanon's Garden		[298]
Campanile of Sta. Maria Maggiore		[309]
Church of Sta. Maria Maggiore		[310]
Church of S. Pietro		[313]
Confraternity of San Francescuccio in ViaGaribaldi		[315]
Monte Frumentorio in the Via Principe diNapoli		[320]
House of the Comacine Builders in the ViaPrincipe di Napole		[322]
Looking across the Assisan roofs towards theEast		[325]
View of San Francesco from beneath the CastleWalls		[332]
The Garden of the Roses at Sta. Maria degliAngeli		[339]
The Fonte Marcella by Galeazzo Alessi		[346]
An Assisan Garden in Via Garibaldi		[347]
Umbrian Oxen		349
Women from the Basilicata		[351]
San Francesco		[356]
Plan of Assisi		[372]