Florence, an exhibition at Santa Croce on the iconography of the stigmata of St. Francis

From December 3, 2024 to March 30, 2025, the Winter Refectory of Santa Croce in Florence will host the exhibition The Blooming Cross and the Stigmata of Francis, dedicated to the iconography of the Stigmata of St. Francis between the mid-13th century and the first half of the 14th century. Curated by Sonia Chiodo, Giovanni Giura, Anna Pegoretti and Federico Rossi, the exhibition celebrating the 800th anniversary of the stigmata of St. Francis is the result of a collaboration between theOpera di Santa Croce and various university departments: History, Archaeology, Geography, Art and Entertainment (SAGAS) and Architecture (DIDA) at the University of Florence; Ancient and Modern Civilizations at the University of Messina; and Humanistic Studies at the University of Roma Tre.

The exhibition focuses on the depiction of the miracle of the Stigmata of St. Francis, narrating its iconographic evolution through a selection of paintings and manuscripts related to the Franciscan Basilica and continuing ideally in the church and convent of Santa Croce. Special attention is given to the 14th-century painter Taddeo Gaddi, who left a notable contribution to the visualization of Franciscan themes.

“This exhibition is an extraordinarily interesting opportunity to take stock of the iconography of the Stigmata,” said the president of the Opera, Cristina Acidini, “a number of very select artistic and documentary testimonies have been brought together that demonstrate the formation and consolidation of this iconography, which recurs in numerous examples in the Santa Croce complex. In particular, thanks to the generous loan of the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, two panels painted by Taddeo Gaddi are brought back to Santa Croce that were part of a much more complex decor consisting of as many as 28 panels, 14 dedicated to Christ and 14 to Francis, the alter Christus. Accompanying it is also a portable altarpiece never exhibited before, known only to specialists, which once again confirms the greatness of Gaddi the painter, who continues the line of the great Giotto, and in Santa Croce profoundly characterizes the Gothic age.”

“The exhibition is part of the project of renewal of the visit route, initiated by the Opera di Santa Croce after the pandemic with the aim of offering visitors the opportunity of a more conscious fruition,” stresses the Opera’s secretary general, Stefano Filipponi. “In this context, the Winter Refectory, with the Cenacle and the Cerchi Chapel, constitutes the route that with new arrangements welcomes visitors by introducing the essential themes to the understanding of the monumental complex of Santa Croce.”

Florence, an exhibition at Santa Croce on the iconography of the stigmata of St. Francis

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