Tuscany is recognised as being the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, what with famous figures such as Dante, Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci all hailing from this region. One of the most admired Tuscan Renaissance artists is Piero della Francesca, who, luckily for us, has left a great trail of his masterpieces dotted around between Tuscany and neighbouring Umbria. We have a number of villas in Tuscany, and also villas and farmhouses with pools in Umbria, so you can select from many different locations in this beautiful and artistically significant area of Italy.
Born around 1420, Piero della Francesca was a man of many disciplines, including maths and geometry. But he is, and was, best known for his artistic talent. In his work, he used humanism and perspective, as well as a cool palate of colours, which led him to create some of the most magnificent examples of Renaissance painting that were ever produced. He has been said to truly embody the beauty and breadth of the early Renaissance period.
He was born in the Tuscan town of Borgo Santo Sepolcro, which is now known as Sansepolcro. The distinctive rolling hills and serene beauty of the countryside surrounding his town are said to have been depicted in several of his works, including ‘The Nativity’ and ‘Baptism of Christ’. Although several of his works can be found in museums in larger cities, the artist’s origins have not been forgotten, and it is in Sansepolcro that you can see ‘Ressurection’, one of his well-known paintings.
Piero della Francesca is best known for his magnificent frescoes, and there’s no better place to see a fully restored fresco, than in Arezzo. At the church of San Francesco, you can see his most famous work, ‘The Legend of the True Cross’, in all its glory. In the town of Monterchi, you can view the spectacular ‘Pregnant Madonna’, and in the beautiful Perugia, the National Gallery is not only a fantastic place to see more of his work, but also to see many other medieval and Renaissance treasures.
As well as some beautiful farmhouses with pools in Umbria, we also have great holiday villas in Casentino; a region perfectly positioned for discovering the art trail of Piero della Francesca, as it is located between Florence and Arezzo. As well as having many small, characteristic towns to explore, it also has a very picturesque national park. We also have a number of Cortona villas with pool. Cortona is one of the oldest hill towns in Tuscany, and its well-known for its association with many Renaissance artists. Located near the Umbrian border and close to Arezzo, it’s another perfect base for seeing the artist’s work.
The picture has been kindly taken from Anguskirk on Flickr.