Giovanni Boltraffio, Ferrari and Lambrusco: 108 miles of Italian creativity, listening to Guccini.

Our “author’s journey” starts in Modena, a very special city, where the beauty of some car models joins the unmistakable flavors of its traditional cuisine. Modena lies in-between Bologna and Parma. Its main source of economy is car manufacturing, including Ferrari and Maserati. Not only, it’s a city that is rich in culture, full of fantastic buildings and museums. Built in a Romanesque style, its Cathedral is a beautiful building, certainly also fo you the highlight of this city. In this town it’s kind of hard not to become obsessed with food: you ned to go at Modena’s Albinelli daily market, where obsession will reach your wishes. The Enzo Ferrari Museum https://musei.ferrari.com/en/modena will be an immersive experience for you too, a place that contains the history of the founder of the car company that has made some of the most beautiful cars of all time. Some memories of Modena? The scale model of the legendary Ferrari F500 F2 1953 https://store.ferrari.com/it-sm/modellini-auto-1-18_cod7789028784781546.html#dept=Models-Scales_ICON_COLLECTIBLES along with the CD of a poet-songwriter who was born under this sky.

Growing up artistically, he never allowed himself to impose the rhythms of the record industry, preferring his musical pieces only when he felt he really had something to say. His artistic career began when he joined rock bands, discovering Bob Dylan. In the 60s he became known as the author of “Auschwitz” and “God is dead”, a song of profound spirituality. Born in Modena on one day in June 1940, FRANCESCO GUCCINI had spent the first years of his life in Pavana, on the Pistoia Apennines. After the second world war he returned to Modena, working as a journalist. In 1961 he enrolled at the University of Bologna, where he completed the exams but did not graduate.

27 minutes of your time and 33 miles of road. This is what you need for the second part of your trip to Italy, from Modena to Parma. He has taught art history, also carrying out an intense public and editorial activity. His poetic activity became unmistakable, compared to the typical ways of the twentieth century Italian, expressing a profound need to tell life. Born on a November day in San Prospero (near Parma), he had attended the National Convitto Maria Luigia of Parma, starting to write poetry around the age of seven. In 1929 ATTILIO BERTOLUCCI published his first collection of poems. In 1951 he moved to Rome. In 1951 he won the Viareggio Award for literature. In this period he cemented a friendship with the film director Pier Paolo Pasolini. Selections of his poetry has been translated into English by Charles Tomlinson. He died on a June day, 2000 in Rome.

South of Milan has not yet been swallowed by its cosmopolitan neighbour. Starting from Parma, with 75 miles and 33 minutes of your precious time on the Italian peninsula you will have arrived in Pavia, which for a brief period was the capital of the Lombard Kingdom, has retained a strong identity of its own. It’s home to an ancient University, it’s a town that possess a vast amount of artistic and cultural treasures (such as the fabled Charterhouse). Certainly, you too will follow the pilgrim route (The Via Francigena designed as a secure passage way from the Kingdom of Pavia to Rome). Waiting for a superlative risotto with seasonal asparagus? Located in the Borgo Ticino, the menu at the Antica Osteria del Previ http://www.anticaosteriadelprevi.it/ it’s well-rooted in the territory. Before leaving, you can visit Oltrepò Pavese, Italy’s Secret Wine Region located only 50 miles south of Milan, the area produces pinot nero grape into a quiet and authentic where a Italian famous writer was born.

He was 18 years old when I bought a novel by Conrad (Heart of Darkness), a book that embellished his creative path. Through his inexhaustible creative vein, MINO MILANI has taught us that life can be a distributor that does not work, or a row of comfortable seats. He has published numerous historical and adventure novels, as well as stories of autobiographical inspiration dedicated to his city. He was an italian writer born in Pavia in 1928. Artistically growing, he also appear in some of his own comic, always as a special envoy during some historical events.

24 miles and 30 minutes, this is the last part of your trip to Italy, the one that will take you to Milan, the city of fashion and the economic capital of Italy. There are modern and trendy skyscrapers, surrounded by beautiful historical buildings all over the city centre. Milan is one of the coolest cities in Italy. Piazza del Duomo is one of the most visited parts of the city. You should visit the roof of the Duomo cathedral instead (you get an amazing view over the roofs of the town). Here you can find the famous art academy of Brera. Brera is one of the trendy areas of Milan, where the best route to go from Piazza del Duomo to Castello Sforzesco. In the evening, if you comehere, waiting for you lots of cool bars and restaurants. The restaurant “Osteria di Brera” (dinner: Monday to Thursday, from 19:00 to 23:00), http://www.osteriadibrera.it/ is a refined restaurant that is ready to welcome all those who want to indulge in a meal of fish (cooked in most different ways).

Often in profile, his portraits of the Madonna and Child are Leonardesque in conception. His major painting is Madonna and Child, in the Museo Poldi Pezzoli of Milan http://www.museopoldipezzoli.it/#!/en/discover one of the high points of the Lombard Quattrocento. According to Giorgio Vasari, he was of an aristocratic family, and was born in Milan. GIOVANNI ANTONIO BOLTRAFFIO was an Italian painter from Lombardy, who worked in the studio of Leonardo da Vinci. By 1498, he had established an independent practice, producing altarpieces, portraits and devotional paintings.

Here in Milan, to admire the Armani custom-made collections, you can go to number 2 of Via Monte Napoleone. Your eyes shine when you see something created by Gucci? No problem, at number 7 of this identical street there is a beautiful store. Valentino’s original clothes? Continue on Via Monte Napoleone, stopping at number 20. Are your feet tired? Stop at the Geox footwear store, just six street numbers ahead, on the same side of this road. The intellectual property of the images that appear in this blog correspond to their authors. The sole purpose of this site, is to spread the knowledge of these artists and that other people enjoy their works. To pursue this issue, you can digit: http://meetingbenches.com/2018/09/travel-in-italy-before-leaving-the-mental-training-processes-in-the-shadow-of-italian-creativity/