He’s remembered for renouncing his riches and devoting himself to a life of poverty. But Saint Francis of Assisi — one of the two patron saints of Italy and among the most venerated figures in Christianity — has a flashy new investor in his legacy: Ferrari.
The Italian luxury sports car company will fund a restoration of the Maestà di Assisi (Madonna Enthroned with Child, Saint Francis and Four Angels), a 13th-century fresco by the Florentine painter Cimabue that is believed to contain one of the earliest surviving portraits of Saint Francis.
