The Image of St. Francis: Responses to Sainthood in the Thirteenth Century (review)

The volume is massive. Brooke offers an overwhelming wealth of historical information, and she covers multiple and varied areas of medieval study that in one way or another connect the reader to St. Francis of Assisi. Although an introductory brief statement identifies the book as "an important new study of the way in which St. Francis's image was recorded in literature, documents, architecture and art" (n.p.), the notion of "image"is loosely utilized throughout the book.

The notion of image serves more as a device to connect the multiple historical, literary, and artistic interests of the author. These interests consist of Francis's own writings, the earliest literature after Francis's death (Thomas of Celano's Life of St. Francis, etc.), the construction of the Basilica of St. Francis, the Expositions of the Rule, further hagiographical texts on Francis through the 1240s, emergence of new altar panels presenting the image of Francis, sermons and the Legenda Maior by St. Bonaventure as well as subsequent later Leonine writings, and the decoration of the lower and upper churches of the Basilica, with special attention given to the St. Francis Cycle of the upper church. Finally, near the end of the volume there is a chapter on the nineteenth century rediscovery of Francis's body and then a final chapter on Blessed Angela of Foligno's image of St. Francis. Unfortunately, St. Clare's image of St. Francis never appears.

The eleven chapters of the book more closely resemble a collection of fascinating encyclopedia articles on very interesting topics. In a footnote at the beginning of chapter 7, the author acknowledges that the chapter is based on lectures delivered in Cambridge in the late 1970s and 1980s. This confirms the impression that substantial parts of some of the chapters represent research done earlier in the author's long and distinguished academic career. Several repetitions in different chapters, especially dealing with Joachim of Fiore, also pointed in this direction.

Once the reader forgets about the title of the book, there is easy entry into the study and library of Rosalind Brooke, where abundant knowledge can be harvested of thirteenth-century (mostly Italian) culture, art, and papal politics, all of which contribute to the context for understanding St. Francis and some aspects of literary and artistic origins of the Franciscan tradition. This is the strength of the volume. It makes more historical information on Francis of Assisi and on the efforts to promote his memory and his cult available in one volume than exists in several volumes.

Much comes together for the completion of the frescos of the upper church with the election of the first Franciscan pope, Nicholas IV (Jerome of Ascoli) in 1288, especially when he collaborates with his friend and successor as minister general, Matthew of Aquasparta. Brooke offers a wealth of information that lies behind the completion of the frescos. However, when it comes to her interpretation of the three tiers of frescos in the nave of the upper church, the shadows of Ubertino of Casale, Sabbatier, and Moorman linger. Ironically, she overlooks the mystical, biblical, and theological vision of St. Bonaventure that inspired the frescos and appeals to St. Thomas of Aquinas to substantiate her "historical and literal" reading of the frescos. In doing this, the rich theology and symbols behind the texts and frescos that are emphasized in recent studies are missed.