Armed Mongols in the Oratory of San Giorgio of Padua in the Late Fourteenth Century

A new analysis reveals that the armed Mongols depicted in Padua’s Oratory of San Giorgio, painted by Altichiero in the late 14th century, carry significant religious and political symbolism. By comparing contemporary Chinese visual materials, a Persian manuscript, and Western and non-Western knights’ armor, researchers have decoded how Altichiero represented Mongolian features and attire with precision. The frescoes, commissioned by a knightly family in a Franciscan church, likely served as propaganda, reflecting the complex military and political landscape of Padua during this period.

Lin, H. (2026). Armed Mongols in the Oratory of San Giorgio of Padua in the Late Fourteenth Century. Studies in Church History, 62, 94–119. https://doi.org/10.1017/stc.2026.10061