Addenda alla pittura tardogotica senese: gli affreschi di San Giovanni in Poggiolo a Montepulciano

The Oratory of San Giovanni in Poggiolo was built by the Silvestrine monks in Montepulciano between the end of the 13th century and early 14th century. In 1988 during the ordinary maintenance of the building, some frescoes, dated 1413, were discovered on the left and right of the counter-façade. To the left of the entrance door is a niche depicting a cycle of frescoes with six episodes from the life of St Anthony the Abbot. Thanks to the test of the Vita Antonii written by St Atanasio, the cult towards St Anthony the Abbot has spread and taken root quickly. Anthony becomes the model of Christian life. When the relics of the saint are transferred to Vienne, in south of France, the figure of St Anthony is linked to the treatment of skin diseases, in particular herpes, also called “St Anthony’s fire”.