The Duke and Duchess of Urbino are depicted in the famous diptych by Piero della Francesca. It is one of best-known art pieces from the early Renaissance.

Federici da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino was a skillful strategist and patron of the arts. He put the City of Urbino on the map as a famous cultural center.

It was there that Piero della Francesca created the diptych which he painted between 1415 and 1492.

It shows Federico da Montefeltro, the Duke of Urbino, and his wife, Battista Sforzia, against the beautiful landscape of the City of Urbino. The couple is purposely facing each other; the Duke lost his right eye during a tournament and therefore only the left side of his face is portrayed.

The Duchess is richly dressed and has an excessively high forehead which was fashionable at the time. She was a remarkable and highly-educated woman (fluent in Greek and Latin) and her husband’s extremely capable co-ruler. She died shortly after giving birth to Guidobaldo, the couple’s only son and heir.

The diptych has inspired many artists including the artisans of Primo Maestro Italia. They created a stunning lighting piece depicting the Duke and Duchess as part of the Museo Collection.

The original in the Uffizi Gallery Museum is beyond your reach, but the lighting piece can be yours….