Lovely Urbino on its elevated site where the Palazzo Ducale has some stunning intarsia and wonderful art; medieval Gubbio's atmospheric streets, and more great art and woodwork in Perugia.
Over the Mountains of the Moon from Arezzo, across the north of Umbria into Marche to visit this lovely city and its glorious palazzo in 1991 when we were on something of a Piero della Francesca trail.
The palace is home to the Galleria Nazionale della Marche which houses two Piero della Francesca paintings, one the most exquisite and enigmatic depiction of the Flagellation of Christ, the second the Madonna di Senigallia with two very down-to-earth looking angels.
There is a third painting of an Ideal City which was once attributed to Piero but has been reassigned. As in many galleries and museums, photography is not allowed.
The Flagellation is a really fascinating piece. In the background, supposedly the subject of the painting, a flagellation is being inflicted by two men, while a third standing man and another seated figure watch. In the right foreground are three standing figures and there is a good deal of dispute as to who they are meant to represent - the central robed figure looks very like one of Piero's solid angels.
The palace itself is extensive. Federico da Montefeltro had it built in the second half of the fifteenth century as a home for his family, employing only the foremost architects and decorators.1 His own rooms were placed in the most prestigious location, the centre of the palace between the twin turrets.
The wood inlay work (intarsia) in his study is stunning. Creating a three-dimensional trompe l'oeil effect, employing all the skill of the developing understanding of perspective, there are cupboards with doors, carelessly left half open so that the contents can be seen, designed to show what a true Renaissance man Federico was - scientific instruments, armour, books, the English Order of the Garter, awarded to Federico by King Edward IV, musical instruments, an inkpot - Federico was determined to demonstrate that he was a man of wide interests and accomplishments.
Gubbio is a wonderful town with an almost intact medieval centre of narrow streets and impressive civic buildings. It was an important town even in Roman times, situated on the Via Flaminia. Since medieval times it has rather declined in prestige, but is a lovely place to visit, especially for the Palazzo dei Consoli on the vast Piazza della Signoria, for which a large section of the medieval town was demolished.
We loved the funivia which takes you up to the Basilica di Sant'Ubaldo, in an open metalwork bucket!
We went into the Duke of Urbino's palace in 2007, a scaled-down replica of his palace in Urbino - huge empty rooms with enormous fireplaces. He had a beautiful intarsia panelled study installed here, too, but the panelling was sold to the Met in New York. Pictures show it as good as that at Urbino.
In 2007 we also visited Perugia, driving from Arezzo and passing the beautiful Lake Trasimeno, so large it looks like a sea shore.
It was a very sunny Saturday in April and the city was busy - there was some kind of festival going on. We went first to the Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria in the Palazzo dei Priori, principally to see the beautiful Piero della Francesca polyptych, which has a beautiful angel and columned perspective in the upper Annunciation. Also a lovely Fra Angelico and Perugino.
The palazzo had been developed from the thirteenth century, with various extensions being added right up to the sixteenth century.
On to the Collegio del Cambio, the Money Exchange, also in the Palazzo dei Priori. Noted for its frescoes by Perugino, I was much more taken by all of the wonderful woodwork.
The intarsia is particularly impressive, though I would say that the studies of the Duke of Urbino are even more so.
The Collegio della Mercanzia, the Merchants Guild, is also in the Palazzo dei Priori, just one room but again with beautiful woodwork, the walls and ceiling completely wood panelled.
We visited the Etruscan Well, over 2,000 years old, 37 metres deep, dark and dank!
The Duomo didn't really inspire us, though it does claim to have the Virgin's wedding ring - well hidden in a number of boxes behind curtains!
