Thus He Draws Me All unto Him, for He Is So Fair!
Francis’ Search for Christ in the Frescoes of the Lower Basilica of Assisi
What beauty can a man convey who strips himself of all possessions and ends his days with a body covered in sores? Is it simply the allure of poverty, or is it something deeper that continues to challenge us today, as it did eight hundred years ago. The new exhibition, “Thus He Draws Me All unto Him, for He Is So Fair!” is a visual and spiritual quest that begins with the question: Who really was Francis of Assisi?
The exhibition, curated by Elena ALBERIO and Marco BRAGHIN, was created in collaboration with the National Gallery of Umbria, the National Art Gallery of Bologna, the Photographic Archive of the Library of the Sacred Convent of St. Francis in Assisi, and the Franciscan Festival. Located in Bologna, in the Muzzarelli Chapel of the monumental complex of St. Francis. It will be open daily to the public from March 29, 2026, to January 10, 2027, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The exhibition will be inaugurated on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the San Francesco Library, followed by a guided tour of the display.
This initiative is part of the celebration of the 800th anniversary of the transitus of St. Francis and the period of grace associated with it. Effective January 10, 2026, the Holy Father convened a special Year of St. Francis, together with the gift of an indulgence, so that every Christian believer, following the example of St. Francis, may become a model of holiness in life and a constant witness to peace.
Entering the heart of the Lower Basilica, between the arches that house the frescoes of the mysterious Master of St. Francis, you are invited to follow in the footsteps of an artist who was among the very first to attempt to depict St. Francis. This artist aroused conflicting feelings of fascination and uproar among many. He was first seized by an indescribable attraction to one single face: the face of Christ.
Through reconstructions and reproductions, the exhibition reveals a revolutionary interplay of visual correspondences: on the one side, the life of Jesus, on the other, that of Francis. Why this choice? Is it possible for a man to become so similar to the Beloved that he resembles Him? Francis is not portrayed as a hero, but as a person who finds his identity in relationships: relationships with the Church, with his brothers, and with created reality.
In a world that obsessed with flawless appearances, the anonymous Master proposes a form of holiness that is humanly possible: it is the nakedness of one who has nothing left to defend and, precisely for this reason, is able to speak to a wounded, disoriented humanity searching for meaning. Moreover, the unknown artist suggests a beauty that is not merely aesthetic. His art is the “beauty of truth,” which the exhibition reinterprets in the light of written historical sources, and reevaluates within the context of the tradition of early Italian painting.
Are you ready to be captivated? Come and discover how 13th century art translated the powerful Christian message and the Franciscan movement of its day into vivid and engaging visual testimony. Because, in the end, the question remains: what are we really seeking?
The exhibition is part of the cultural initiatives of Officina San Francesco Bologna and the San Francesco Library, and is taking place at a particularly significant time during the Franciscan journey, offering a unique opportunity for the convergence of art, faith, and life.
Free admission
For information:
📧sanfrancescobologna.biblioteca@gmail.com
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Officina San Francesco Bologna
