Piero della Francesca polyptych reassembled after 555 years

A polyptych is a painting that contains four or more panels.

The Augustinian Polyptych was dismembered at the end of the 16th century and was painted by Piero for the high altar of the church of the Augustinians at Borgo San Sepolcro in the Aretine area.

It has been reassembled at the Poldi Pezzoli Museum in Milan, thanks to loans from the UK, US and Portugal.

The museum has managed to reunite the eight known panels (the central panel and most of the predella have gone missing), joining his St. Nicholas, the four from the Frick Collection in New York and those from the National Gallery in London, the National in Washington and the Museum of Antique Art in Lisbon.

The pieces will be displayed in the exhibition entitled Piero della Francesca and the reunited Augustinian Polyptych.

ANSA