Did Giotto paint the frescoes of St. Francis in the Basilica of San Francesco at Assisi?

Whether Giotto painted the frescoes of St. Francis in the Basilica of San Francesco at Assisi is a subject of long-standing debate among art historians, known as the "Assisi problem."1

While a long-standing tradition—supported by writers such as Giorgio Vasari—attributes the cycle of 28 scenes from the life of St. Francis in the upper church to Giotto, many modern scholars express skepticism. Some argue that the stylistic differences between these frescoes and the universally accepted works in the Arena Chapel are too significant to be by the same hand, suggesting instead that they were created by an unknown "Master of the St. Francis legend."1

Conversely, others maintain that the frescoes represent Giotto’s early work, potentially created when he was a young man. Despite the lack of absolute certainty, the cycle remains a foundational element of our visual understanding of St. Francis.12