Monterchi art trail

From Arezzo, the Piero della Francesca trail proceeds 25 km east to tiny Monterchi, on the border with Umbria. Here, a former schoolhouse displays the artist’s striking Madonna del Parto, the Pregnant Madonna. Recently, Arezzo fought with Monterchi to display the masterpiece but the battle was won by Monterchi.

The Madonna, heavily pregnant and aching, has un¬but¬toned the front of her dress, while above, two angels hold up the entrance to the tent in which she stands. The story is that in 1459 Piero della Francesca came back to Monterchi to pay homage to his mother, who came from the village. After working in Urbino for the Dukes of Montefeltro, this poetic Renaissance artist spent his last years in Sansepolcro. Fittingly, this revolutionary artist died there on October 12th 1492, the day the New World was discovered. (From Monterchi, you can continue on to Sansepolcro or return directly to Arezzo).

Address: Museo della Madonna del Parto, Via della Reglia 1, Monterchi
Web: www.madonnadelparto.it