Description
This scene in the Saint Martin cycle at the Lower Basilica in Assisi shows the bishop meeting Emperor Valentinian. According to the hagiographic account, the ruler had refused to receive him until flames sprang from his throne and forced him to rise. The fresco depicts the aftermath: the humbled emperor approaches the saint in supplication.
Simone Martini contrasts Martin’s composure with the commotion of the imperial court. Arches, towers and galleries make architecture an essential part of the storytelling. Significant areas of the fresco’s paint surface have been lost.
The episode reverses the positions of power: the ruler who refused an audience finally kneels before the bishop. Simone chooses the human aftermath of the event instead of concentrating on spectacular flames. The palace, with its complex sequence of galleries and openings, reinforces the importance of this meeting and demonstrates how religious storytelling can incorporate a vivid image of court society.
