Bonaventura Berlinghieri - Saint Francis altarpiece

Title: Saint Francis altarpiece (San Francesco d'Assisi)
Artist: Bonaventura Berlinghieri (1228-1274)
Date: 1235
Medium: Tempera on wood panel
Dimensions: 160 x 123 cm

The Berlinghieri family exerted considerable influence on Florentine painting before Cimabue.

"Saint Francis altarpiece" is Bonaventura's most famous work. This life-sized altarpiece painted in tempera on wood panel in the Italo-Byzantine style depicts several scenes from the saint's life and in the center a 1.5 meter-tall Francis who is barefoot and simply dressed to show his humbleness. Francis is somewhat floating in mid-air in a spiritual way. The Byzantine style is notable- a saint, an elongated figure front-facing, a flat gold background, etc.