Profeta Isaia

This depiction of the Prophet Isaiah by the Master of Saint Francis, dating to around 1272, was created for the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi, one of the most important pilgrimage churches in medieval Christendom. Old Testament prophets were frequently included in Gothic church decoration programs as prefigurations of Christ and witnesses to the divine plan of salvation. Now preserved in the Treasure Museum of the basilica, this panel reflects the ambitious artistic program that made Assisi a crucible for the development of Italian Gothic painting.

Executed in tempera on panel with gold ground, the figure displays the Master of Saint Francis's distinctive approach: strong outlines, simplified but expressive facial features, and broad areas of color. The upright, frontal pose and the prophet's scroll follow established iconographic conventions for prophetic figures in medieval art.