La Madonna del Parto is one of the supreme expressions of the Renaissance.
The Virgin, visibly pregnant, stands at the center of a baldachin made of precious brocade, presenting herself directly to the viewer. She is shown in a three-quarter pose, which accentuates her advanced pregnancy, and with her right hand she gently touches her abdomen—a gesture that conveys modesty and protection, but also calm awareness and dignity.
Her eyes are lowered toward her womb, yet her expression seems to foreshadow the destiny of the child she carries.
Two angels, perfectly symmetrical in pose, color, and design, swiftly draw back the curtain of the baldachin, allowing the faithful to contemplate the Virgin—majestic and solemn, yet at the same time humble—with her left hand resting on her hip and her garment slightly parted
La Madonna del Parto is one of the supreme expressions of the Renaissance.
The Virgin, visibly pregnant, stands at the center of a baldachin made of precious brocade, presenting herself directly to the viewer. She is shown in a three-quarter pose, which accentuates her advanced pregnancy, and with her right hand she gently touches her abdomen—a gesture that conveys modesty and protection, but also calm awareness and dignity.
Her eyes are lowered toward her womb, yet her expression seems to foreshadow the destiny of the child she carries.
Two angels, perfectly symmetrical in pose, color, and design, swiftly draw back the curtain of the baldachin, allowing the faithful to contemplate the Virgin—majestic and solemn, yet at the same time humble—with her left hand resting on her hip and her garment slightly parted
The Madonna del Parto and Monterchi are linked by a profound and enduring history rooted in the mid-15th century. Piero della Francesca painted the fresco for the church of Santa Maria di Momentana, located on the slopes of Montione Hill, a site traditionally associated with fertility cults. The work, dated between 1450 and 1465, was painted over an earlier 14th-century fresco depicting a Madonna and Child, discovered in 1911 during the detachment of Piero’s masterpiece for conservation purposes.
Over the centuries, the Madonna del Parto endured a complex and often troubled history. In 1785 the original church was partially demolished to make way for the cemetery, and the fresco suffered damage from two earthquakes, in 1789 and 1917. After the latter, the work was sheltered by a local family, then temporarily transferred to Sansepolcro before being returned to Monterchi in 1922. During the Second World War, the local population defended the fresco, fearing it would be removed, even rising up against the authorities sent to secure it.
After the war, further restorations and alterations followed, including a change in the chapel’s orientation in 1955–56, which altered the original lighting conditions. In the 1990s, on the occasion of the fifth centenary of Piero della Francesca’s death, the Arezzo heritage authority entrusted conservator Guido Botticelli with a conservation restoration that has allowed the masterpiece to reach us intact—an enduring testament to Piero’s genius and to the deep identity of Monterchi.
From 18 December 2021, the masterpiece by Piero della Francesca,
housed in the medieval village of Monterchi,
has benefited from enhanced viewing conditions thanks to iGuzzini Illuminazione.
From this date onward, the fresco can be admired in a new light.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Civic Museums of the Madonna del Parto.
The Madonna del Parto and Monterchi are linked by a profound and enduring history rooted in the mid-15th century. Piero della Francesca painted the fresco for the church of Santa Maria di Momentana, located on the slopes of Montione Hill, a site traditionally associated with fertility cults. The work, dated between 1450 and 1465, was painted over an earlier 14th-century fresco depicting a Madonna and Child, discovered in 1911 during the detachment of Piero’s masterpiece for conservation purposes.
Over the centuries, the Madonna del Parto endured a complex and often troubled history. In 1785 the original church was partially demolished to make way for the cemetery, and the fresco suffered damage from two earthquakes, in 1789 and 1917. After the latter, the work was sheltered by a local family, then temporarily transferred to Sansepolcro before being returned to Monterchi in 1922. During the Second World War, the local population defended the fresco, fearing it would be removed, even rising up against the authorities sent to secure it.
After the war, further restorations and alterations followed, including a change in the chapel’s orientation in 1955–56, which altered the original lighting conditions. In the 1990s, on the occasion of the fifth centenary of Piero della Francesca’s death, the Arezzo heritage authority entrusted conservator Guido Botticelli with a conservation restoration that has allowed the masterpiece to reach us intact—an enduring testament to Piero’s genius and to the deep identity of Monterchi.
From 18 December 2021, the masterpiece by Piero della Francesca,
housed in the medieval village of Monterchi,
has benefited from enhanced viewing conditions thanks to iGuzzini Illuminazione.
From this date onward, the fresco can be admired in a new light.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Civic Museums of the Madonna del Parto.
From 18 December 2021, the masterpiece by Piero della Francesca,
housed in the medieval village of Monterchi,
has benefited from enhanced viewing conditions thanks to iGuzzini Illuminazione.
From this date onward, the fresco can be admired in a new light.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Civic Museums of the Madonna del Parto.