We take a look at the details of Piero's Resurrezione, details we might not notice by looking at the painting as a whole. Why is Christ not dressed in white? Is there something special about the countryside in the background? The answers are fascinating.

Retouching the painting is a very delicate job, and is done in such a way as to be reversible, and respectful to the original.

With techniques available today, it is possible to distinguish the various layers of plaster used on different days of work, to determine in what order the artists and their assistants applied the paint. And during the cleaning, details can come out that were previously not visible, including buildings and even letters of the alphabet.

For art historians, it is so interesting to try to figure out, with the materials at hand, what Piero wanted his work to finally look like, but it's a challenge, as the artist's initial sketches have been lost.

It's rare for a work of art to become the symbol of a city and even be part of its coat of arms, but this did indeed happen in Borgo Sansepolcro. Piero's Resurrection may be thought of as a fresco, but it's much more complicated than that, as we learn in this segment.

Piero was not just a painter; he was a member of an important family in Borgo Sansepolcro. There is a fresco painting attributed to him that might have alluded to the family business, which was producing and selling leather goods.

The restorers take us through the meticulous cleaning process involving Japanese rice paper, a gel made from marine algae, and a solvent.

Restoring the Resurrection was a lengthy and complex process, consisting of reinforcement, cleaning, and the retouching of the painting itself.

The host describes the fascinating story of a British army captain who, during World War II, happened to have read Aldous Huxley's words (quoted in the previous segment), and remembered them just in time.

Borgo Sansepolcro is an out-of-the-way Tuscan city. But, as this video sets out to explain, it boasts one of the most beautiful paintings in the world, so it is well worth the journey. The video begins with some passages from a 1925 essay by Aldous Huxley: “The Best Picture.” We have translated the Italian translation back into English, for learning purposes, but you can find the original English version here.

The episode closes with one of Domenico Modugno's most famous songs, Tu si' 'na cosa grande (you are something great to me), as Mimmo muses about the present and the future.

Mimmo goes to Paris and hears some great music, but doesn't have much success with his songs. That leaves him little choice but to go to Canada. It's cold there! He keeps in touch with Franca during his travels.

Ungaretti mentions 2 poets who attracted him as a youth: Mallarmé and Leopardi. He talks about the famous poem Alla primavera, o delle favole antiche by Leopardi but gets the title wrong. You can see the entire poem (in Italian) here.

When they get to his hometown, there's one person Mimmo doesn't want to see and one person he does want to see. Later on, he talks to Franca about how frustrated he is about his career.

Ungaretti talks about how he got his start. He frequented a café in Paris, where artists and poets would gather.

As Mimmo and Franca enjoy the beach and swimming in the clear water, he tells her about his childhood in the town they can see from where they are sitting.

After thanking his host for his kind words, Ungaretti begins talking about his life. He gives a lot of credit to young people, first of all.

The piazza where Mimmo and Franca perform is deserted, but everything changes once he starts singing a Tarantella. Later on, Mimmo takes Franca to one of his favorite spots.

Ettore Della Giovanna, noted Italian journalist (1912-2004), interviews Giuseppe Ungaretti, considered one of the greatest poets of his time, besides having been a writer and scholar.

Franca, disappointed and hurt, goes to visit her grandmother in Sicily and writes a letter to Mimmo.

Before the prince leaves the gathering in a very melancholy mood, he tells Mimmo about a job. Mimmo gets the job, but has a hard time satisfying the director (who is a bit eccentric, it must be said). Franca comes to the theater to see Mimmo at a certain point, but it might not have been the right moment.

At their meeting with the head of Curci music publishers in Milan, Riccardo and Mimmo dare to mention the word "contract." Once back in Rome, the Prince shows up at the artists' circle where Mimmo is having dinner.

Franca's career is going nicely, and Mimmo decides that he'll do whatever they want him to: Sing, dance, act...

For the radio show, Mimmo sings a very sad song, based on a story he had read in the newspaper. Note: The images of the event may be disturbing. This broadcast was one of the last Mimmo and Franca would be doing, and they talk about the immediate future as they walk home.