Francis and the perfect robe
The robes of Fratello Sole e Sorella Luna
Lugano, Villa Ciani, 4-17 October 2026
The exhibition Francis and the perfect robe – The robes of Fratello Sole e Sorella Luna is conceived as an exploration of the profound and complex relationship of Francis of Assisi with clothing, marking the 800th anniversary of his death.
Francis was closely connected to the world of luxury fabrics through his family’s business, but he chose to distance himself from it by stripping completely in public. He was then offered “the poor, shabby cloak of a peasant” to cover himself. He was in search of the perfect robe that would represent his choice of radical way of life, and, towards the end of his life, he gave precise instructions to his friend Jacopa de’ Settesoli for the making of his final habit.
The movie “Brother Sun, Sister Moon” (Fratello sole, Sorella Luna), directed by Franco Zeffirelli and released in 1972, narrates the story of Francis of Assisi in a cinematic masterpiece. The exhibition showcases the costumes used on set and created by Danilo Donati, now preserved by the Cerratelli Foundation, as well as the habit of Saint Francis and jewellery preserved by the Zeffirelli Foundation.
Further information is available here.