Della Francesca, Piero A&I

Few artists of the fifteenth century are as revered today as Piero della Francesca (c. 1413-92). The 'favourite artist' of many painters and sculptors of our own time, he is admired especially for the balance of his compositions, the geometric perfection of his forms and the emotional coolness of his style. The secret of these qualities lies in part in Piero's achievements as a mathematician -- one of the greatest of his age who wrote three treatises on the subject. Even so, most of his painting…