Fo's Cardinal Denial

Nobel prize winner Dario Fo has suffered a temporary setback while touring with his latest show entitled “Giotto o non Giotto?”. During this show Fo queries whether the famous painter Giotto is actually the person to have painted the famous affreschi in the Assisi basilica. According to Fo the painter was too young to have painted them himself.

The show that was meant to take place in the beautiful piazzale in front of the upper basilica in Assisi had to be cancelled when Bishop Sorrentino refused permission. For once it was not Fo’s notoriety for irreverent material that had incensed a representative of the church but rather the very denial of Giotto’s authorship of the paintings. Sorrentino refused to allow a show that, according to him, would “destroy the magnificent illusion for the last poor Assisi folk”.

Fo is not the first to contest Giotto’s authorship of the painting and neither the mayor nor the friars of the convent had found anything wrong with the show. Fo’s comment on the Bishop’s decision is interesting:

Questo è il segno dei tempi. E’ davvero un’espressione di quel retrivo conservatorismo culturale per il quale ogni alterazione dello status quo diventa un atto di blasfemia.

*Picture:  Saint Francis speaking to the birds (Assisi Basilica,attributed to Giotto)