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Caravaggio in Naples, Italy

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A look back (first published 16 October 2015): I’m not sure there can be a better place than Naples to see some of Caravaggio’s paintings. They are the perfect fit for the city with their light and dark, their passion and drama – their realism.

thephraser's avatarThe Phraser

Portrait of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio by Ottavio Leoni (1578 -1630) Portrait of Michelangelo Merisi di Caravaggio by Ottavio Leoni (1578 -1630)

There are some artists who change everything, who create their work way outside the known boundaries. One of these, one of the brave, who found a new way to tell stories with paint, is Caravaggio.

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The mandolin – her deepest curves belong to Naples, Italy

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A look back (first published 3 October 2015): I have heard several mandolin concerts in Naples since I wrote this article – the last time was in Piazza del Plebiscito under a huge sky. It was as right as the stars above.

thephraser's avatarThe Phraser

The deep curves of the bowlback Neapolitan mandolin The deep curves of the bowlback Neapolitan mandolin

It took us a while to find the little workshop and we had to squeeze in when we did – it was Saturday and the only door was open to visitors.

In fact La Bottega del Mandolino was so full of visitors (around a dozen or so), and every shape of mandolin and tool, that there hardly seemed space for Maestro Salvatore Masiello.

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Book Review: The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante

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A look back (first published 24 September 2015): this book, the second of four, sustains the pace of the first – it’s a vivid read.

thephraser's avatarThe Phraser

The cover of Elena Ferrante's: The Story of a New Name The cover of Elena Ferrante’s: The Story of a New Name

The Story of a New Name is the second book of the Neapolitan Novels.  It’s raw and brilliant, with a light that shines unblinking on its characters

Naples has always hung its washing to catch the air – it’s a city that knows its secrets … and so does Elena Ferrante.  In her novels she packs the unhidden into private lives and passes it on to us.

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