A fresco depicting the vision of Saint Francis in a chariot of fire, showcasing the transition toward naturalism in Proto-Renaissance art.

This scene depicts the miraculous vision of Saint Francis of Assisi, as recorded in the hagiography by Saint Bonaventure. The composition is divided into two distinct registers. In the upper section, Saint Francis appears in a chariot of fire, drawn by horses, symbolising his spiritual ascent and divine favour. The lower section shows the friars in their dormitory, reacting to the apparition with a mixture of awe and confusion. The architectural setting is rendered with a rudimentary sense of space, a hallmark of the artist's departure from the flatter, more symbolic Byzantine traditions that preceded his work.

Executed as part of the cycle in the Upper Church of San Francesco in Assisi, the work demonstrates the shift toward humanised religious narrative. The figures possess a physical weight and volume, their drapery falling in naturalistic folds that suggest the form beneath. The colour palette relies on earth tones, ochres, and muted blues, which were typical of the fresco techniques of the period. The artist focuses on the psychological response of the observers, grounding the supernatural event in a recognisable human context. By placing the miraculous chariot above the mundane interior of the monastery, the artist creates a clear visual hierarchy between the earthly and the divine realms. This work remains a primary example of the transition toward the naturalism that would define the subsequent centuries of European painting.