AninnovativepainterintheearlygenerationofRenaissanceartists,PierodellFrancescawasalsoanexpertonreligioustopicsandamathematicianwhowantedtouseperspectiveandgeometrytomakepaintinga“truescience.”AlthoughonlysixteenofPiero’sworkssurvive,fewarthistoriansdoubthisimportanceintheRenaissance.A1992conferenceofinternationalexpertsmeetingattheNationalGalleryofArtdeemedPiero“oneofthemosthighlyregardedpaintersoftheearlyRenaissance.”