Exorcism of the Demons at Arezzo - Giotto di Bondone

A scene from the life of Saint Francis, depicting the saint commanding demons to leave the city of Arezzo, painted by Giotto in the late thirteenth century.

This scene is part of the cycle depicting the life of Saint Francis of Assisi, located in the Upper Church of the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi. The narrative illustrates a specific miracle where Saint Francis commands the demons to depart from the city of Arezzo. Giotto employs a clear, structured composition that separates the spiritual authority of the saint from the chaotic activity occurring above the city walls.

On the left, Saint Francis stands with his companion, gesturing towards the city. His posture is calm and deliberate, contrasting with the agitated figures of the demons fleeing the rooftops on the right. The architecture is rendered with a sense of physical presence, using light and shadow to define the forms of the buildings and the city fortifications. The sky, once painted in a deep blue pigment that has faded over time, provides a backdrop for the winged, dark figures of the demons as they disperse into the air.

Giotto moves away from the flatter, more symbolic representations common in the preceding Byzantine tradition. Instead, he introduces a focus on human emotion and physical weight. The figures possess a tangible volume, and their interactions are grounded in a recognisable spatial environment. This approach to storytelling, where the miraculous is presented within a coherent, earthly setting, marks a shift in the trajectory of Western painting. The work remains a primary example of the transition toward the naturalism that would define the later Renaissance period in Italy.