Description: As one of the most innovative and enlightened painters of the early Italian Renaissance, Piero della Francesca brought space, luminosity, and unparalleled subtlety to painting. In addition, Piero invented the role of the modern artist by becoming a traveler, a courtier, a geometrician, a patron, and much else besides. In this nuanced account of this great painter's life and art, Machtelt Brüggen Israëls reconstructs how Piero came of age. Successfully demystifying the persistent notion of Piero's art as enigmatic, she reveals the simple and stunning intentions behind his work.
Brief description: Machtelt Brüggen Israëls is a lecturer in Italian Renaissance art at the University of Amsterdam and visiting professor at the University of Florence. Her previous books include The Bernard and Mary Berenson Collection of European Paintings at I Tatti.
Review Quotes: "Marshaling an impressive body of new archival, technical, and contextual evidence, [Israëls] returns us to the artist's era, offering fresh perspectives on his frescoes, panel paintings, and manuscript treatises. Her carefully crafted and deftly written narrative allows us to peer over the artist's shoulder, bringing us closer to Piero and the legendary artworks that earned him the nickname 'the monarch of painting.'"--Nathaniel Silver, William and Lia Poorvu Curator of the Collection, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum