Levi is best known for his book Cristo si è fermato a Eboli (Christ Stopped at Eboli) which he wrote while hiding out in Florence, in this very house. The book was published in 1945, and was a memoir of his time spent in exile in Lucania, Italy, having been arrested for his political activism.

Levi was born in Turin, Piedmont, to wealthy Jewish family. He completed high school and then attended the University of Turin, where he studied medicine and graduated in 1924. While at university, Levi had become friends with Piero Gobetti who sparked his interest in political activism that would continue throughout his life. Soon after graduation from the University of Turin, Levi exhibited some of his art at the XIV Venice Biennale.

Levi never completely abandoned his medical studies and served as assistant to Professor Micheli at the University of Turin’s Clinic from 1924 to 1928, but by 1927 he had decided to dedicate his life to painting. Levi’s early time in Paris, as a painter and as a student of medicine, brought him into contact with many notable personalities of the 20th century, including Sergei Prokofiev, Igor Stravinsky, Alberto Moravia, Giorgio de Chirico, and others.

In 1929, along with Carlo and Nello Rosselli he founded an anti-fascist movement called Giustizia e Libertà, becoming a leader of the Italian branch along with Leone Ginzburg, a Russian Jew from Odessa who had emigrated with his parents to Italy. He also joined with Francesco Menzio in the “Gruppo dei Sei” (“Group of six”), all painters in Turin, including Jessie Boswell, Gigi Chessa, Nicola Galante and Enrico Paulucci.

As a result of his activism and involvement with anti-fascist movements, Levi was arrested and exiled to two towns in a remote area of Italy called Lucania (now Basilicata) from 1935 to 1936. There he encountered a poverty almost unknown in prosperous northern Italy. While there, Levi worked on the side as one of the doctors for the villagers, although he had never practised medicine after graduating from medical school. During his exile he spent much of his time painting.

After his release, he moved to France and lived there from 1939 to 1941. In 1941, he returned to Italy, and was later arrested again in Florence and imprisoned in the Murate prison. He was released following Benito Mussolini’s arrest and sought refuge and lived hidden across the street from the Pitti Palace, where he wrote Cristo si è fermato a Eboli.

The square near the house he hid in has been named after him.

Below is an overview of the house he hid and lived in in Florence.

You can see the 2018 dedication of the piazza here: https://youtu.be/IL0QuK5DliU

This is how spring flowers look in a city made of stone.

Italian word for the day: tulipano, or tulip.

These strawberries were as lusciously sweet as they look. You know how often that is not the case! In Italian: fragola (strawberry), fragole (strawberries).

And below: I will climb the stairs, I will open my door, without saying a word, I will take you in my arms and kiss you.

My nasturtium plants, grown from seed last year, have survived the Tuscan winter in situ in my terrazzo! And today one of the bloomed! In March! Che bello!

Che colore! That color!

Love is out of style but my heart is vintage.

I left my new yoga class (painful after being out of yoga for too long), and walked onto one of the prettiest piazze in Italy! The magnificent Palazzo Pitti, in all its glory, on a bright, sunshiny March afternoon!

Italian word for the day: piazza or city square. Piazze is the plural.

Alla prossima cari!

These words so perfectly describe March days! Cold and windy, warm and sunny, all in the same day!

And the same in English.

It surprised me that this very recently composed/dropped protest anthem is being played as Muzak in Italy. 🇮🇹 I wonder if any of the shoppers in this supermarket in realize this is Springsteen’s newest release and what it signifies to us. I would imagine that most of the people this day wouldn’t recognize the song or understand its significance to what is going on in our American cities??? Most Italians wouldn’t know Minneapolis from Philadelphia. This hurts my heart. The song is not muzak.

Once upon a time the space that is now called the English Cemetery in Florence was just an empty field or bit of forest. It lay outside the Medieval city walls of Florence, and eventually became a burial ground for non Catholics. Over time it became known as the English Cemetery, although those buried here are from all nationalities, including American. Hiram Powers, the American neoclassical sculptor, is interred here (in a very modest tomb, btw), for example.

This serene space is surrounded by high metal fencing from the 19th century and is open on a very idiosyncratic schedule. And now, this part of the city is torn asunder by the work for the upcoming tram system. It seemed bad enough that the Piazza Donatello, which is the area in which the cemetery is located, had become a major traffic artery with cars and trucks and motorcycles zooming around the cemetery non stop 24/7, but now there will be a tram system too. At least it is quiet.

Once you enter this cemetery/garden, it is large enough and there are trees enough to make you feel isolated from the city and with the sense that you are in a very special space. May it always be thus.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning is buried here and her tomb is one of the most elegant and elaborate within the cemetery.

Set in intarsia in contrasting black marble are the letters: OB and the date 1861. This is an abbreviation for the Latin word obiit, which translates to “he/she died.”

Her initials also strikingly set against the white marble of the tomb.

My friends Stu and Steph visited this serene locale with me that day.

In about a month, the iris plants will be in full bloom. I spotted this early bird.

Among the most lovely of all early spring blossoms to my mind is the flowering quince. It was in full flower in the cemetery this day. The coral color is almost neon! How heartwarming! Welcome spring!

A beautiful visit in a lovely place in a grand city. Alla prossima!

Below, back at my terrace garden at home. My nasturtiums plants survived the winter! I am still surprised by that!

I found myself buying a bare root rose bush and planting in one of the many empty pots I purchased over the last year. I hope it is a success!

I have a 2nd camellia shrub just now springing into bloom. It has a more delicately shaded pink and white coloring than my first one that you have already seen blooming away.

Yes, yes, yes, I enjoy my life in this amazing place!