The XVI century: between Renaissance and Counter-reformation
Renaissance culture spread in the inland parts of Marche only at the beginning of XVI century and for several years it lives together with the heritages of the Gothic style. Some important artists of the centre of Italy have been called to work in some villages of this area, but many of these works have been lost.
It’s mostly in the second half of the century, with the mannerist style in first, and then with the one inspirited by the Counter-reformation, that Marche’s artists with an original personality become visible. These artists left in this territory many important works, and they have been discovered again and turned to account only in these last years. Between them let us mention as an example the most important ones: Ercole Ramazzani from Arcevia, pupil of Lorenzo Lotto, and Filippo Bellini from Urbino. These two artists are very different each other but they both had a great personality and freedom in expression. Moreover they both produced a lot of works but in a discontinuous way.

This route starts from Arcevia, where the collegiate of San Medardo keeps a set of masterpieces of painters such as Luca Signorelli from Cortona and Ercole Ramazzani from Arcevia, together with sculptures by the shop of Della Robbia. Other works of Ramazzani are preserved in the churches of two of the most typical castles of Arcevia, Piticchio and Castiglioni.
• Collegiata di San Medardo
• Castelli di Arcevia

After visiting Castiglioni, the tour continues following the ancient streets immersed in the country as far as Mergo, where Ramazzani left another work in the parish church.
• Chiesa di San Lorenzo

After going down to the Vallesina, the route leads us to the other bank of Esino river, exactly to Staffolo, where we can see works by Filippo Bellini in the central collegiate of San Francesco.
• Collegiata di San Francesco

You have to come back from Staffolo and take the S.S.76 in the valley. From here you have to continue towards Fabriano and then you have to take the exit towards Cerreto d’Esi, where the next stop includes the little local museum and the collegiate church of Santa Maria Assunta, that contain works by Ramazzani, Luca Bartolomeo dalle Fibbie and Paolo from Chioggia.
• Raccolta di Opere d’Arte “Antica Farmacia Giuli”
• Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta

The next stop of the tour is Sassoferrato, that can be reached from Cerreto d’Esi, coming back a little and then crossing the Gola di Frasassi. Works of XVI century are conserved both in the chief town and in the hamlet of Coldellanoce, and included both the artists we mentioned before.
• Chiesa di San Francesco
• Chiesa di San Lorenzo di Coldellanoce

The last village of our route is Castelleone di Suasa, that was part of the ancient duchy of Urbino, ruled by the dynasty of Della Rovere. Here, in the church of Santi Pietro e Paolo, it is possible to admire a painting inspirited to the art of the most beloved painter of the Court of Della Rovere, Federico Barocci.
• Chiesa dei S.S. Pietro e Paolo