Piero della Francesca and the Invention of the Artist

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 traveller, a courtier, a geometrician, a patron and much else besides. In this nuanced account of his 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.