Piero Della Francesca, The Montefeltro Altarpiece: Art Mysteries

The Art Mysteries series examines several highly regarded masterpieces in an attempt to unravel the mysteries that surround them. Edited by Marco Carminati and Stefano Zuffi, they present an up-to-date and spectacular reading of famous paintings, investigating key clues to previously unknown background information. The sublime synthesis of Piero della Francesca's art, the Montefeltro Altarpiece, now in the Pinacoteca di Brera, is one of the most famous works dating from the painter's maturity. It was executed in the refined context of the Urbino court, probably to be placed above Duke Federico da Montefeltro's tomb in the Church of San Bernardino. Napoleon's soldiers took it to Milan in 1811, and since then it has never ceased to fascinate and intrigue viewers. What does its perfect marble architecture mean? Who exactly are the characters portrayed? Above all, what is the egg hanging from the shell-shaped vault above the Virgin Mary's head intended to convey? Seeking the answers to these questions involves an exciting journey of discovery leading to the solution of Piero della Francesca's enigmas. Also available in the Art Mysteries series: Botticelli: The Birth of Venus ISBN: 9788866480501 Velazquez: Las Meninas ISBN: 9788866480556 Leonardo: Mona Lisa ISBN: 9788866480860 Bosch: The Garden of Earthly Delights ISBN: 9788866480884 Caravaggio: Stories of St Matthew ISBN: 9788866480853