The duque and duquesa of Urbino Federico da Montefeltro and Battista Sforza

One of the most famous portraits of the Italian Renaissance, the diptych features the Duke of Urbino, Federico da Montefeltro (1422-1482) and his wife Battista Sforza (1446-1472). In the 14th century tradition, inspired by the design of ancient coins, the two figures are shown in profile, an angle that guarantees a good likeness and a faithful representation of the facial details without allowing their feelings to manifest: in fact, the Duke. and the Duchess of Urbino is not affected by confusion and emotions. The couple face each other and the spatial element is suggested by the light and continuity of the undulating landscape in the background, representing the Marche area over which the Duke and Duchess ruled. The chromatic contrast between the bronze skin tones used by Federico and the pale tones of Battista Sforza is striking; The duchess's pale pallor not only respects the aesthetic conventions that were fashionable during the Renaissance, but could also allude to her premature death in 1472. On the back of the panels, the Duke and Duchess are presented carried triumphantly in chariots ancient, accompanied by Christian virtues; The Latin inscriptions pay tribute to the couple's moral values. The presence of the images on the reverse suggests that the two paintings, now set in a modern frame, would once have been part of a diptych.

One of Piero della Francesca's most famous works, the double portrait is representative of the relationship between the painter and the Duke and Duchess of Montefeltro; Piero was a frequent guest at his court, finding himself in a cultured and refined environment that would soon become one of the most important cultural and artistic hearts of Italy. The master painter combines the strict approach to perspective learned during his Florentine education with the lenticular representation most characteristic of Flemish painting, achieving extraordinary results and unmatched originality.