Chastity’s Knight: Allegory and Chivalry in Assisi

Abstract

The densely populated frescoes by Giotto and his workshop in the crossing vaults of the Lower Church of San Francesco at Assisi, generally dated to the second decade of the fourteenth century, still resist iconographical exegesis. The three allegories of the Franciscan vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience are particularly challenging: their imagery is unique and complex, presenting enigmatic tableaux acted out by historical and symbolic figures amid throngs of angels. This article offers a new interpretation of a central incident in one of the vele (sails), as the frescoes are