Convento di San Francesco

The Convento di San Francesco in Subiaco grew from a tradition of Francis of Assisi's pilgrimage to the Aniene valley in 1223. Its Romanesque-Gothic structure contains frescoes associated with il Sodoma, a Nativity attributed to a pupil of Pinturicchio and a 1467 triptych by Antoniazzo Romano.

Why it matters

According to the valley account, the Abbot of Santa Scolastica welcomed Francis of Assisi during his 1223 visit and donated abbey properties for Franciscan communities. One site, the hermitage of San Pietro in Desertis, developed into the present convent. The structure retains Romanesque-Gothic elements and was enlarged in 1327. Its art includes frescoes attributed to Giovanni Antonio Bazzi, known as il Sodoma; a Nativity attributed to a pupil of Pinturicchio; a canvas attributed to Giulio Romano; and a triptych signed by Antoniazzo Romano in 1467.

What to notice

The convent's chapels preserve frescoes and panels associated with il Sodoma. A canvas attributed to Giulio Romano is in the first right-hand altar, while a Nativity attributed to a pupil of Pinturicchio is in the first left chapel. Antoniazzo Romano's triptych of 1467 stands above the high altar. A fortified bridge below the convent, built in the mid-fourteenth century, linked it with the Benedictine monasteries across the river.

Context and history

The 1223 visit attributed to Francis established a Franciscan presence in a valley associated with Benedictine foundations. The donated hermitage of San Pietro in Desertis developed into a convent, enlarged in 1327. Its artworks accumulated through the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and reflect the site's connections with Rome and the valley. Fresco cycles attributed to il Sodoma date from his work in Lazio.