The birth in a stable
Francis was born in 1181 or 1182. His father was a rich cloth merchant from Assisi in the centre of Italy. We do not know precisely, but we can imagine that Francis was born in a mansion with all the comforts of a wealthy 12th century Umbrian family.
However, in chapel 1, Francis’ birth is represented inside a stable, in a humble environment, which does not match the protagonists in the scene. The women wear elegant and colourful clothes and have particularly refined hairstyles: they are not poor peasants or labourers, but rich and distinguished characters.
It is clear that the choice to represent Francis’ birth in a stable is not accidental, but instead it conveys a very specific message. After 12 centuries from the birth of Jesus, Francis’ life unfolds like that of Christ born in a humble place: a stable or a cave, as we read in the Gospels. This scene tells us that since his birth, Francis was destined to follow in Jesus’s footsteps and to lead a life in the name of humility and simplicity.