Death and Ascension of Saint Francis

The Death and Ascension of Saint Francis occupies the lower register of the left wall of the Bardi Chapel. Giotto combines several moments connected with the saint's death in a single scene: the friars mourning around his body, Jerome examining the stigmata, and the vision of Francis's soul being carried to heaven by angels. Francis's body lies horizontally at the center and becomes the visual axis of the composition. Around him, friars bend down, kiss his hands, mourn and inspect the wounds. The dense grouping of figures intensifies the sense of physical and emotional proximity.

One of the most significant episodes is the verification of the stigmata. Jerome, who had doubted the authenticity of the wounds, examines the saint's side to confirm the miraculous sign.