Crowdfunding launched to restore Giotto fresco in Assisi Basilica

A crowdfunding campaign called Insieme per San Francesco has been launched to restore the fresco 'Trionfo di San Francesco' in the Lower Church of the Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi. The fresco, attributed to Giotto and his workshop and dated to around 1334, is one of four large vaults with gold backgrounds above the presbytery. The goal is to raise approximately 27,000 euros. The last restoration was about 50 years ago, and the work now shows sedimentation, detachments, micro-lifting of the paint film, and lesions. The intervention will stabilize the paint film, consolidate old stuccoes, and perform dry cleaning. Donors receive rewards: from a digital parchment for 10 euros to exclusive visits with the chief restorer for donations of 2,000 or 5,000 euros. The campaign is organized by the nonprofit Loveitaly and the Fondazione per la Basilica San Francesco di Assisi. The Basilica, built in the 13th century, holds masterpieces by Giotto, Cimabue, Pietro Lorenzetti, and Simone Martini. Father Marco Moroni, Custode del Sacro Convento, appeals for preservation for future generations.