ABSTRACT
Franciscan spirituality has long been associated with the emotion of compassion, especially for the suffering of Chris, which is central to both Franciscan piety and theology. During the late medieval period, artistic images depicting the physical and psychological suffering of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and other Christian role models increased in popularity together with an affective devotional practice that aimed at cultivating compassion through the emotional engagement with such images. As one of the demonstrations of the new affective style of naturalism, the Giottoesque fresco cycle in the Lower Church at Assisi may be earliest visual expression of the theory in Franciscan art. The frescoes in the north transept of the Lower Church at Assisi demonstrate a significant change in naturalistic style from the earlier Saint Francis cycle in the Upper Church, dated ca. 1288–1297. In particular, certain figures display a dramatically enhanced naturalism in their bodies, specifically in the emotions expressed by their actions, gestures, and facial movements.
