Copy after the cycle of the <i>Life of St Francis</i> (<i>Birth of St Francis</i>), Benozzo Gozzoli in San Francesco, Montefalco

The scene illustrates a formative moment in Saint Francis’s biography, emphasizing his spiritual awakening and humility. By focusing on this narrative episode, the work reflects the medieval tradition of using visual storytelling to convey the virtues and miracles associated with the saint, reinforcing his model status for the faithful.

Eliseo Fattorini employed transparent watercolor pigments to translate the fresco’s vivid colors and intricate details onto a flat surface. The medium allows for subtle tonal gradations, capturing the original’s luminous quality while simplifying the architectural background, characteristic of 19th‑century copyist practices that prioritized clarity over exact texture.

Commissioned by the Arundel Society, an organization founded in 1848 to disseminate reproductions of European Old Master works, Fattorini produced four copies of the Montefalco frescoes (museum numbers E.153‑E.156). Although intended for publication, the Montefalco series remained unpublished and eventually entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection, where it is held today.

The original frescoes were painted by Gozzoli, a leading figure of the Italian Quattrocento, whose narrative cycles combined devotional purpose with sophisticated pictorial storytelling. The 19th‑century copy reflects a period of heightened scholarly interest in medieval art, when societies like Arundel sought to make such works accessible to a broader audience.