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"The late Renaissance building was constructed on the site of a pre-existing Palaeochristian pieve dedicated to St. Mary and subsequently to St. Blaise. In the early 16th century only remains existed of the pieve, including a wall with a fresco of Madonna with Child and St. Francis, from a 14th century Sienese painter. The project was supported by Pope Leo X, who had studied under Angelo Poliziano, a native of Montepulciano.This illustration comes from a beautiful book on the history of arts in Italy. It was published in 1884 in Germany by the famous art historian Carl von LAtzow. The book is in an excellent condition, with superb copperplate prints fine on paper. You will find a lot more of these pictures in the lightbox below."