The Pregnant Madonna and other wonders on the art Trail (a virtual blog)
In Anghiari, pop. 5,866, a commune and town in the province of Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy
our base of operation for this trip...
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The bells go all the time in the medieval town of Anghiari, and they seem to be hopelessly misaligned, occurring at 20 past or 5 of the hour...I feel as if I am in a kind of Tuscan Brigadoon, and will awaken to find people milling about in medieval dress...
...but this is typical
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The Trail I am on follows the life and works of Piero della Francesca (c.1415-1492), who painted in these hidden medieval towns. It was formerly traversed by Brits with sturdy shoes and walking sticks...“Siamo Americani,” we tell the locals who inquire, “ Siete Inglese? Francese?”
the problem in Anghiari...
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the remedy in Anghiari...
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The town’s mayor tells us, in Italian, that unlike much of Tuscany, Anghiari refuses to ship their piccolini out of town to school so as to accommodate more tourists...Bravo, Anghiari, ti vogliamo bene!
Here is what I found along the way...
map of the “trail”
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We are told by our instructor, Professore Mario Carniani, that Piero della Francesca searches for a message from God through nature. He aims to “reopen the gates of heaven” through his art. He echoes his contemporary, Masaccio’s, great triumph in Florence’s Santa Maria del Carmine, circa 1428.
Brancacci chapel
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In Monterchi Pop. 1,844.
Monte Santa Maria Tiberina.
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The Madonna del Parto by Piero della Francesca (the pregnant madonna)
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This is a fresco that has been moved. Formerly it covered a wall in the Chapel of Santa Maria di Momentana and was rediscovered (in very bad condition) in the last century.
Uh, how do you move a fresco? Here’s how http://janessmartartblog.blogspot.com/2006/09/how-centuries-old-fresco-is-removed.html
(betcha didn’t know that, did you?)
The artist’s mother was from Monterchi and perhaps this work is for her. It portrays a teenaged girl with transcendent wisdom. We cannot help commenting on her pose: a young pregnant woman in her 8th or 9th month, her left hand supporting her aching back...but her eyes...notice that one is focused down on her belly and the other level with us. She knows her baby is the savior of the world.
The angels on either side are mirror images, but the face on the right is less diffused. Piero knew that a standing figure is never perfectly still and moves slightly...
A miraculous childbirth is foretold here in the parting of the curtains and her dress. The artist is telling us that this is the “announcement” of a new day for mankind...
To be continued...Monday, in Sansepolcro for “the best picture” in the world:
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Your pictures indeed tell a story, and it's glorious. Beautifully done!
They remind me of the little medieval town that we saw last summer, whose name escapes me. "Under the Tuscan Sun" was filmed in it, however.
The pregnant Madonna is just wonderful. Thank you for all the details that I would have otherwise missed.
Yes! To be continued, please.
I hope someday I am able to overcome my fear of planes, get a passport, get out there and see some stuff. 
Piero had his own way with "faces." Interesting artist...stay tuned for more next Monday and Tuesday...who knows, you might learn somethin'...
Hope you enjoyed the trip.
Edit - I saw that you are back home. 
More art on Monday and Tuesday, if you can stand it...
Always a pleasant way to spend ones time here at DU.
Thank you ever so much.
R&K
