One the many joys of wandering around the Tuscan countryside is discovering astonishing artwork found in every village, no matter how tiny. During my stay at the luxury Tuscan farmhouse of Montestigliano, I visited the tiny town of Sansepolcro, Italy, the very last town on the eastern border of Tuscany prior to crossing into the Le Marche region. At first glance, it seemed like just another cute Italian village. However, I soon learned that it had much more to offer than its weekly market.
Sansepolcro is the birthplace of early Renaissance painter, Piero della Francesca. As a youth, the artist was trained was in mathematics, and he used this knowledge to perfect the proper use of perspective in painting. Today he is generally considered to be the father of perspective in art. His works are so highly regarded that they hang in the collections of the Louvre in Paris, the National Gallery in London, and the State Museums of Berlin. As the place where Piero della Francesca was born, died, and spent much of his youth, Sanspolcro is blessed to have some of his most important works, including the fresco painting titled The Resurrection. The massive Piero della Francesca painting is currently undergoing restoration at the town’s museum, where a large window allows visitors to watch the restoration expert at work.
Author’s note: I was a guest of Montestigliano Farm Holidays during my stay in Tuscany. However, the receipt and acceptance of complimentary items or services will never influence the content, topics, or posts in this blog. I write the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
The detail in the painting in addition to the symmetry is stunning. I can really see and feel the different emotions of the characters depicted here.
Hi Linda: It was so fascinating to see it up close and watch the restorer work his magic
Amazing getting to see Piero’s works up close in real life! I’ve always loved the intricate attention he put into the details of his work, and the underlying geometry of it all. As a graphics designer (in my free time) I constantly fall back to perspective and geometry for inspiration – details belong in certain places, or they’re out of place! … or maybe that’s just the OCD talking. Either way, congratulations on finding and seeing this masterpiece.
Hi Scott: I share your OCD, so perhaps that’s why I was also so impressed by his work.