St. Francis

When the church of St. Francis in Cantù was deconsecrated at the end of the 18th century, the altars were broken down, and the individual pieces sold. Such was the fate of these panels--once rounded at the top, but cut to make them more saleable--whose original state was reconstructed for a 1982 exhibit dedicated to Zenale and Leonardo. The attribution to Zenale was confirmed by Janice Shell's discovery of a document pertinent to the commission. Probably purchased by the brothers Fausto and Giuseppe at the end of the 19th century, the panels are still displayed--as are all other objects in the museum--in their original places, thus contributing to the authentic "time capsule" ambiance.