Saturday, October 17, 2009

Chairs

Francesco Domenico Guerrazzi (1804-1873) is a prominent figure in the history of Livorno during the “Risorgimento”, he was even dictator of Tuscany for few months. Sitting on a plinth, on a side of the square dedicated to him, he is looking across “Via Grande”.
Is he cherishing a chair at this table, ready for lunch, at the other end of the square? He knows better: this table is only a display!
But not far, with a geometric progression of chairs and colors, he could sit for a coffee or an ice cream under the porticoes of “Via Grande”.

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22 comments:

  1. GunnOctober 17, 2009 at 1:25 AM

    Nice shots....
    I think I would have gone for colorful table and chairs.
    Italian design?
    Have a nice weekend! :-)

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  2. brattcatOctober 17, 2009 at 1:44 AM

    I wonder what he would like to discuss. I wonder what sort of wine he would order. I love the open book at his feet. And the construction behind him.

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  3. AnonymousOctober 17, 2009 at 2:53 AM

    Looks like he may have been a scholar as well as a short-lived dictator. Looks like some construction is going on in the background, which makes it easir to see the statue. Nice shot!

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  4. JamesOctober 17, 2009 at 3:34 AM

    Very nice selection of chairs and tables too.

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  5. HildaOctober 17, 2009 at 4:10 AM

    It's kind of odd to see tables and chairs set up on the street, but also pretty, especially with those bottles. Mr Guerrazzi has a very colorful view.

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  6. Regina October 17, 2009 at 5:47 AM

    Nice find! Great shots!

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  7. JulieOctober 17, 2009 at 6:42 AM

    Francesco Domenico has a most laid-back slouch to his view of the city square. The green construction hoarding adds to the ambience of your photo, VP. Good one.

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  8. jooOctober 17, 2009 at 9:17 AM

    Great series and superb idea!! I like all the photos, but the middle one is my favourite.
    Have a nice weekend:)

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  9. cieldequimperOctober 17, 2009 at 11:24 AM

    VP, this post is one of my favourites. An excellent idea!

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  10. svenske floydOctober 17, 2009 at 12:40 PM

    Indeed a great series! Not least the progression in colours from above to below. The item with fringes that he is sitting on is interesting in itself.

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  11. Mary Stebbins TaittOctober 17, 2009 at 3:49 PM

    oooh, I'd like to sit there too.

    How fun.

    :-D

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  12. Luis GomezOctober 17, 2009 at 3:50 PM

    Dictators always want a chair. I like your colorful ones.

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  13. VPOctober 17, 2009 at 4:23 PM

    @ Luis Gomez - Poor Guerrazzi was a dictator as “a person taking power for a limited time in order to deal with an emergency”, in the ancient Roman sense, without any of the negative modern connotations.

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  14. LowellOctober 17, 2009 at 10:00 PM

    He does look like a man relaxed and in control of his dominion!

    I wouldn't mind sitting in one of those funky chairs for coffee AND ice cream...gotta be both!

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  15. AndreeaOctober 18, 2009 at 8:08 PM

    Nice assortment of chairs. I would rather seat in down for ice cream than up there but then maybe he wants to see how Livorno's doing more than 136 years later :)

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  16. Unseen RajasthanOctober 19, 2009 at 10:00 AM

    BEautiful,Lovely and colorful shots !! Thanks for sharing..Unseen Rajasthan

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  17. IlseOctober 19, 2009 at 7:51 PM

    Dictator of Tuscany for a few months? What happened to him after he lost that job? Anyhow. I wouldn't mind living in Tuscany for a few months . . . years . . . heck . . . forever!

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  18. EllieOctober 19, 2009 at 8:03 PM

    Nice collection - from stone to plastic :) Evolution of the chair!

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  19. tapirgalOctober 19, 2009 at 11:58 PM

    Nice. I like the colors in the first two a lot. The other chairs aren't so nice to look at, but I'd be happy to sit there awhile and have my monk-colored capuccino.

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  20. VPOctober 20, 2009 at 12:48 AM

    Ilse - As I tried to explain he was an elected dictator, to lead Tuscany against the Austrian invaders.
    He refused to flee, was imprisoned and spent few years in prison.
    After the unification of Italy he was for eight year a respected representative in the National Parliament.

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  21. UnknownOctober 20, 2009 at 8:00 PM

    Great theme post as well!

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  22. TinsieOctober 22, 2009 at 11:23 AM

    For some reason, these three photos go really well together :-)

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