Piero della Francesca timeline

1411–13?
Born in Borgo San Sepolcro. Father Benedetto della Francesca, owner of a shoe-making business, mother Romana di Carlo da Monterchi.

1420s
Piero goes to abacus school, then is apprenticed to heraldic painter Antonio d’ Anghiari.

1432
Payment by Antonio d’ Anghiari to Piero as a painter in his own right.

1437–38
Piero working with Domenico Veneziano in Perugia. On 8 January 1438 Antonio d’ Anghiari settles all debts to Piero and moves to Arezzo.

1439
Piero in Florence with Domenico Veneziano, where he sees lots of influential stuff, including council between Western and Eastern churches to deal to the Turks, and could possibly have met Leon Battista Alberti, whose On Painting he has probably read.

1445
Piero signs contract for Misericordia altarpiece.

1447
Piero and Domenico Veneziano on a commission in Loreto that is cut short by plague.

1450
(Possibly from 1448) Piero in Ferrara working for Borso d’ Este, where he meets Rogier van der Weyden. Also possibly in Rome for Holy Year. Paints St Jerome Penitent and writes On the Abacus.

1450–55?
Piero paints St Jerome and Devotee and Baptism.

1451
Piero in Rimini working for Sigismondo Malatesta on fresco for Tempio Malatesta.

1453
Piero issued with crossbow and takes part in practice battle in case of war between Florence and king of Aragon.

1454
Piero signs contract for Sant’ Agostino altarpiece.

1455
Writ served on Piero in absentia ordering him to return to Borgo within 40 days to complete the Misericordia panels or forfeit advances.

1456
Battles with the Turks on the Danube possibly provide iconographical scheme for Arezzo cycle.

1457–58
Piero does preliminary work on Arezzo cycle: cartoons, some heads.

1459
Piero in Rome working for Pope Pius II, paints St Luke the Evangelist, but leaves for mother’s funeral.

1460–66
Piero completes Arezzo cycle.

1460
Piero member of the civic reform commission in Borgo. Paints Madonna del Parto.

1463–64
Piero paints Flagellation.

1464–66
Piero in Arezzo. In 1465 Piero and his brothers Marco and Antonio are gifted a house in Borgo.

1465–70?
Piero paints Sant’ Antonio altarpiece (finished in 1468), Sant’ Agostino altarpiece (finished in 1469), Hercules and Resurrection.

1466
Piero paints Mary Magdalene, St Julian, and St John the Evangelist.

1468
Piero and his brothers Marco and Antonio buy more property. Piero in Bastia to avoid plague.

1469
Piero in Urbino to assess panel by Uccello on behalf of Giovanni Santi (Raphael’s father).

1470–80?
Piero writes On Perspective in Painting.

1472–74
Piero paints Brera altarpiece for Federico da Montefeltro.

1472
Piero in Borgo as part of body that appoints doctor.

1474
Piero paints portraits of Federico da Montefeltro and Battista Sforza. Directs fortification work in Borgo.

1475–80
Piero prior of San Bartolomeo confraternity.

1478–80
Piero paints Senigallia Madonna.

1482
Piero rents furnished house and kitchen garden in Rimini.

1483–87
Piero paints Nativity.

1486
Piero writes On the Five Regular Bodies.

1487
Piero writes will.

1488
Piero pays niece’s dowry.

1492
Piero dies.