Frescoes in St Martin Chapel of the Lower Church, San Francesco, Assisi: Scenes from the Life of St Martin

St Martin, the Pannonian-born Roman knight of the fourth century, abandoned a successful military career in order to dedicate his life to religion. The fresco series of the chapel is faithful to the legends relating his life. The story of his investiture may have been particularly dear to Simone Martini, who was himself a knight.

Starting from the entrance of the chapel, from left to right and from top to bottom, the side walls and barrel-vaulted ceiling are frescoed with scenes from the life of St Martin: on the lower level, the Division of the Cloak, the Dream, St Martin is Knighted and Renounces his Weapons; on the middle level, the Miracle of the Resurrected Child, Meditation, the Miraculous Mass and the Miracle of Fire; on the top level we find the last two episodes, Death and Burial of the Saint.