We travelled to Sansepulcro (and to Arezzo and Monterchi) to view masterpieces of Piero della... read more
We travelled to Sansepulcro (and to Arezzo and Monterchi) to view masterpieces of Piero della... read more
As with many Italian museums this one was worth a diversion which is now taking us to the coast... read more
Small museum that was exhibiting the world of Steve McCurry which were shocking and inspiring as well as the work of Piero Della Francesca. Art of the highest quality
We’re on a Piero della Francesca roll right now, so we went to the Museo Civico in Sansepolcro to see more of his paintings, including the stunningly beautiful Resurrection. This painting alone is worth the drive up from Arezzo. It’s being restored at the moment but you can still view it (though this involves sitting on the ground to view the main figure through the window). From Sansepolcro it’s a short drive to see Piero’s Madonna del Parto - the pregnant Madonna - in Monterchi. For Piero “fans”, there’s also the Maddalena in the Arezzo Cathedral. And the frescoes in San Francesco, of course. Otherwise the Museo Civico is not so exciting.
This museum is a must for lovers of the works of Piero della Francesca and so is hus house in the dame street and the pregnant Madonna in Monterchi.
Unfortunately, as many other state musea in Italy, the display, upkeep, information is not first rate. Moreover, the Resurezzione is under repair till mid 2018.
There is a special exhibition of della Francesca and Luca Pacioli, famous mathematician and inventor of double bookkeeping.
This small museum is well worth a visit. You can amuse children by playing 'where is the dog' in the paintings (surprising number!) or 'which hands are drawn best?' whilst you admire the artwork. The highlight for us was the McCurry photo exhibition which is quite stunning - lots of poignant, vibrant photos of people in Afghanistan, Cambodia etc. The photo of the Afghan girl was so brilliant that we bought a poster for 20 euros. You can pay to see either the main museum, the McCurry or both. Friendly staff who speak English.
For sure we are a family that loves art BUT we are also a family with two teens and cell phones . Sansepolcro is a fantastic undisturbed part of Tuscany . Not over crowded and lively . This museum had beautiful works . The wonderful experience watching the frescoes restorers was truly an education . A nice variety . The madonna with the world under her skirt belies the speech I get from my kids " not another Madonna" . I loved the entire museum . Florentino restaurant is close and lots of fun shops .
Kare DT
We supplement the reviews below by reporting that restoration work on Piero della Francesca's Resurrection has progressed, as of our visit in August. It is still surrounded by scaffolding which allows only a partial view but the part you can see has restored and vibrant colors. Do not miss the interactive presentation of the restorators' work on the video screen by the side, especially the way modern tech was used to explore the interior of the wall on which the fresco is painted. There was a temporary exhibition on Luca Pacioli: artist, mathematician and accountant - now that's a Renaissance person! There was also a retrospective of Steve McCurry's photos across decades of his travels around the world; that exhibition is scheduled to end in November. It was very moving to see how McCurry's own approach to documenting the tragedy and hope of humankind links back to the humanism of the Renaissance and how art continues to be able to express deep emotions across the centuries.