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Further
along the lefthand side of Via del Pretorio are several vicoli
which lead to Via di Mezzo below. On the right hand side, after
Via della Torre, there is a tiny square named after Pietro Tallinucci
(1820-1887), the Barga patriot, physician and philanthropist who,
together with Padre Bernardino of Siena, founded the hospital
of San Francesco in 1849.
A
little further up on the left is the square named after Ser Barghesano,
who in 1272 invented the mechanical winder for spinning silk. At
the front of this square, which has a delightful view of the cathedral,
you can find some of the old artisan workshops and the hand looms
which are still used to weave quality carpets and woollen fabrics.
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The Cathedral as seen from Piazza Ser Barghesano. |
In
the final part of Via del Pretorio, on the left, is the house
of the famous painter Alberto Magri (1880-1939), who was undoubtedly
one of the most important artists who has ever lived in Barga.
He took part in the 16th Biennale of Venice in 1928, and his works
are on show at the Gallery of Modern Art in Turin and in many
important private collections. Among his friends were Lorenzo
Viani and Umberto Boccioni and in 1934 Raffaello Giolli wrote:
"We all know that in the history of twentieth century Italy
the liberation of art of our generation would not have beeen possible
without Alberto Magri".
His
series of paintings on the street singer is interesting symbolically
because it represents an autobiographical account of his own complex
personality.
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A. Magri - "Il cantastorie" (The street singer) |
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SURPRISE "OUTSIDER" WINS
