San Francesco, Assisi - Lower Church


Chapel of Santa Maria Maddelena (St Mary Magdalene)

 

   



 The frescoes in this chapel are regarded as the earliest example of a narrative series about the Magdalene, dating from around 1309. The work is ascribed to Giotto and assistants, and this is quite convincing as there are many similarities with the frescoes in the Scrovegni chapel in Padua.  The work was commissioned by the Franciscan Teobaldo Pontano da Todi, bishop of Assisi, and here he is, looking suitably humble at the feet of Mary Magdalene.


East wall with the entrance to the chapel of San Valentino.

 

 

A selection of the frescoes.



Supper in the house of the Pharisee


Raising of Lazarus



Noli Mi Tangere



The Journey to Marseilles

 


Speaking with Angels

 



Mary Magdalene receiving the Vestments from the Hermit Zosimus

An aside: who was Zosimus? 

  Zosimus, or Zozimus,  was a third century Egyptian hermit, so an encounter with the first century Mary Magdalene is somewhat unlikely. Two different legends have been conflated here; Mary Magdalene is the wrong Mary. 
  The story this is based on is that of Saint Mary of Egypt. As with the Magdalene, in her early life she was, reputedly, no better than  she should be. She became aware of her sinfulness when in Jerusalem, an 'unseen force' prevented her entering the temple.  For the remainder of her life she wandered the desert as a hermit, usually naked. It was there that she encountered Zosimus and begged for some clothing. 
   There are similar stories about the hermit life of the Magdalene in her later years, which probably explains the confusion. The commissioners of the frescoes should have read The Golden Legend, published around 1260. this clearly attributes the meeting with Zosimus to Mary of Egypt, and also describes the episode of the Magdalene speaking with angels. 


Between the transept and the chapel.

If you look closely at the plan of the lower church chapels you will see a small space between the North transept and the chapel of the Magdalene. This is not shown as a chapel, and perhaps never has been. Currently it contains an artwork, 'Sudario' (shroud) by Enzo Scatragli, a contemporary artist from Arezzo.

 

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