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STUDIES SAN DAMIANO - ASSISI THE FIRST CHURCH OF SAINT FRANCIS* I. TOWARDS A NEW READING OF THE ARCHITECTONIC STRUCTURES OF THE CHURCH OF SAN DAMIANO Because of its importance in the lives of Francis and Clare, and because of the fascinating aspect it has managed to preserve despite the ravages of time and the relentless pressure of continued misunderstanding , the Church of San Damiano has been and still remains the subject of a considerable literature. True it is that this literature seldom departs from an asceticalcelebrative purpose and interest, which lie outside our present scope. And even the Franciscan sources, which so often speak of San Damiano , are too reticent about the details which we would like to know and be able to interpret today. A modern author writes this: "to know and study the place where Clare lived and grew holy is the same as knowing and studying the times, life and example of the saints."1 Earlier Thode had written: "Interesting would it be to be able to discover what remains of the original chapel first mentioned in 1030, and then to determine the extent of the restoration made of it by the saint."2 This is what we propose to do here, not by means of newlydiscovered documents, but rather by a more attentive reading of the architectonic features of the San Damiano complex, which have been revealed in a somewhat new light in our time. And these, poor and humble as they are, can still speak to us with the force of documents. Amongst the authors of the vast literature mentioned above, * An earlier version of this article appeared in Atti accademia properziana del Subasto ser. vi, 7 (1983): 49-87. 1 T. Nediani, Místico oriente (Florence 1910) 13. 2 H. Thode, Saint François d'Assise et les origines de l'Art de la Renaissance en Italie, ed. II (Paris 1904) 13. 46MARINO BIGARONI only two are relevant for our purpose, namely: Antonio Cristofani3 and Leone Bracaloni.4 These two alone have tried to investigate the origins and history of this sanctuary with the intention of establishing "the extent of the repairs made by our saint to the church, and whether it still preserves the form and dimensions he gave it."5 Cristofani was the first "to make lengthy and patient investigations on the site in consultation with expert architects and archaeologists ."6 His conclusions were published in a brief study which saw two editions within seven years, a proof of the interest aroused by his opinions, disagreeing as they did in many particulars with those previously held about the origins of the church, its period and its primitive dimensions. Forty years later, Fr. Bracaloni produced a fuller and more detailed study of the same subject, on many grounds richer and more exhaustive than that of Cristofani.7 For my own part, I mean to take their conclusions as a point of departure, since I see them as a motivating impetus for a new study at least of the architectonic structures of the church: a study which, I dare to hope, will advance our knowledge of the history of this monument so important in the lives of Francis and Clare. I premise this study with a necessarily brief resume of the researches of Cristofani and Bracaloni, since it is no longer easy for most people to have access to their writings, now long out of print. Later on we shall evaluate the merits of their hypotheses. My own reservation will be superimposed on their conclusions when I am not in agreement, also with the help of evidence that has newly come 3 A. Cristofani, Storia della chiesa e del chiostro di S. Damiano, ed. I in "Il Paese" (Perugia 1875); ed. II (Assisi 1882). 4 L. Bracaloni, Storia di S. Damiano in Assisi, ed. I (Assisi 1919); ed. II (Todi 1926) cited in this article. The only other literature on S. Damiano worthy of mention: F. Gonzaga, De Origine Seraphicae Religionis (Romae 1587), 157; Antonio da Orvieto, Cronología della Provincia Seráfica Riformata dell' Umbría o d'Assisi (Perugia 1717), 108 ff.; T. Loccatelli, Della chiesa e convento di S. Damiano presse...

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