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Giotto: François, l’humilté radieuse is a small exhibition in a side chapel off the imposing Eglise du Val-de-Grâce. Giotto’s scenes from the life of St Francis, founder of the Franciscan order are exceptional; but to see an exhibition solely made up of reproductions is quite weird. The photographs are big – two thirds the size of the original frescoes at the Basilica of St Francis in Assisi – and are high quality. They come from an archive of shots taken before the earthquake of 1997, that destroyed parts of the Basilica, so the images may show more than the originals do now. The reproductions communicate the humble simplicity of the compositions and figures’ expressions, and the artist’s skill in rendering architectural and decorative detail, but they lack the materiality and presence of the originals.

Giotto, Stigmatization of St Francis, 1297 – 1299

The idea is completely valid: it allows art which cannot travel to reach a wider public. On the other hand, you do leave wondering whether you have been duped and could have had the same experience looking through a good quality book of reproductions, or for that matter, the internet.

Giotto: François, l’humilté radieuse is on at the Eglise du Val-de-Grâce until 11/05/09

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