Since 1995, the San Francesco Museum, housed in the former Franciscan convent, has been one of the cultural centers of the village of Montone. Its collections preserve an important heritage of sacred and devotional artworks, mostly originating from religious and civil buildings in the area, particularly from the attached Church of San Francesco, the spiritual and artistic heart of the community.
The new exhibition route showcases the most significant works in a chronological journey from the Roman era to the 17th century. The selected pieces, including paintings, sculptures, and liturgical furnishings, offer a vivid and layered portrayal of Montone’s cultural history, revealing the richness of its patronage, popular devotion, and ongoing dialogue with the main artistic trends of Umbria. The route begins chronologically with the archaeological section presenting the remains of a 2nd-century AD Roman villa, discovered near the locality of Santa Maria di Sette. The archaeological evidence collected includes numerous fragments of tiles and roof tiles used for covering roofs, pieces of dolia (large storage containers), transport amphorae, fragments of black pottery, a refined silver coin, as well as tesserae of black marble mosaic, indicating a certain aesthetic sophistication.
Group of the Deposition from the Cross
The polychrome poplar wood sculptural group, dating from between 1260 and 1270, is one of the most significant works in the collection. Created in central Italy in the 13th century, it depicts Christ taken down from the cross along with the Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist, and Joseph of Arimathea. It was previously considered a Crucifixion, but recent restorations have clarified its correct interpretation. Originating from the Pieve of San Gregorio outside the walls of Montone, it was placed on the main altar, kept in a cabinet with gilded doors. The work served a liturgical function: it dramatically emphasized the representations of the Passion during celebrations, especially on Good Friday.
Madonna of Mercy
The gonfalon, painted by Bartolomeo Caporali, is an example of Umbrian devotional art from the fifteenth century, created to invoke protection against plagues and calamities. The Virgin shelters Montone under her mantle from divine arrows, accompanied by the patron saints John the Baptist, Gregory the Great, Blaise, Nicholas, Sebastian, and the Franciscan saints Francis, Anthony, and Bernardino. Beneath the mantle, the people pray divided by gender according to liturgical custom. At the bottom is a view of the village with the Church of San Francesco and the Rocca di Braccio, built by Braccio Fortebraccio and later demolished by order of Pope Sixtus IV. The work was originally placed on an altar of the Fortebracci family in the Church of San Francesco and was embellished between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries with a gilded wooden frame, which today once again complements the artwork.
The Family Tree of the Fortebracci Family
The last rooms of the art gallery are dedicated to the Fortebracci family and the Holy Thorn. Here, two genealogical trees of the family, created by anonymous authors in the 18th century, are displayed: set against a hilly backdrop inspired by the Umbrian landscape, they illustrate the lineage starting from Ugolino, the progenitor, and show the subsequent division—by Rubeo—into the branches of the Fortebracci and the Giobbi Fortebracci. The family crest featuring the rampant ram, a symbol of the family, is present, and some figures are highlighted with a crown and scepter. Among the main figures are Braccio Fortebraccio and his son Carlo. The history of Montone is closely intertwined with that of the Fortebracci, who shaped its political and military life for over two centuries. Braccio Fortebraccio, one of the greatest condottieri of the 15th century, built a vast domain between Umbria and Marche, conquered Perugia in 1416, and obtained prestigious titles in the Kingdom of Naples, pursuing the project of an independent lordship centered in Montone. After his death in the Battle of L’Aquila (1424), Carlo inherited his military legacy. Serving the Republic of Venice, he distinguished himself for valor and was gifted a precious relic, the Holy Thorn from the Crown of Christ, which he solemnly brought to Montone, giving rise to a devotional tradition that remains alive to this day.
The Prior’s Chapel and the Holy Thorn
The Holy Thorn of Montone is one of the most important relics for the history and devotion of the local community. According to tradition, in 1473 Carlo Fortebracci, Count of Montone, received one of the Sacred Thorns from the Crown of Christ as a recognition for his military valor in the service of the Republic of Venice. Brought to Montone, the relic was initially kept in the Church of San Francesco. In 1635, Brother Ludovico Corbucci commissioned a precious silver reliquary from the goldsmith Sante Lotti and established the official celebration of the relic, set for Easter Monday, the day after Easter. Over the centuries, the Holy Thorn has become an important symbol of popular devotion, so much so that in 1963 a second public exposition was established, now celebrated in the penultimate week of August with the Historical Reenactment of the Donation of the Holy Thorn. After the church fire caused by Napoleonic troops at the end of the 18th century, the relic was saved and kept by the Sisters of Saint Agnes. Later returned to the San Francesco complex, it is now displayed in the Prior’s Chapel, where it continues to represent a significant sign of faith and identity for the community of Montone.
