Perugia, from 14 March to 14 June 2026, Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria hosts the exhibition Giotto and Saint Francis. A Revolution in Fourteenth-Century Umbria, focusing on the encounter between the spiritual message of Saint Francis of Assisi and the innovative artistic language of Giotto, within the framework of the eighth centenary of the saint’s death.

The exhibition explores the historical moment in which, between the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries, a new way of representing reality emerged, overcoming the Byzantine-inspired maniera greca in favor of a more natural and emotionally credible visual language. This transformation took shape at the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi, where Giotto, from 1288 onwards, developed a figurative code that would profoundly influence Italian art.

Alongside Giotto’s works, the exhibition highlights Assisi’s central role as a site of artistic experimentation through the contributions of masters such as Simone Martini and Pietro Lorenzetti, as well as other artists active in Franciscan contexts. Special attention is given to the reception of these innovations in Umbria, where local artists responded with original and independent interpretations.

Featuring more than sixty works, the exhibition offers an in-depth view of a pivotal period of artistic renewal, revealing the close relationship between Franciscan spirituality and the birth of modern art.