As many authors writing of Italian journeys around the end of the 19th century, Montgomery Carmichael likes to break with the tradition of the Grand Tour leading the reader off the beaten track with his Tuscan Towns, Tuscan Types and the Tuscan Tongue, published in London in 1901.The British consular official was more a long time resident than a traveler and he is able, in the first part of the book, to offer us an almost anthropological collection of Tuscan types of the time.
After a interesting middle section about the many difficulties of the Tuscan dialect, our author chooses five towns to explore the ways and the habits of our cities: Livorno, Lucca, Pisa, Volterra and Portoferraio and the island of Elba.
One of the many fascinating features of the chapter about Livorno is a set of photographies, by a Dr. Pietro Rossini, portraying some typical scenes in still easily recognizable places around town.Carmichael signed off his book in “Livorno la Cara” (Leghorn the Dear) on December 31, 1900.
Original captions of the above photos:
A Levantine Trader - The Majesty of the Law
Water from the public founts - Two Policemen (New Uniform)
What Delays the Letters - Coral Girls
See also: Leghorn “la Cara”
17 comments:
These are just wonderful VP!
Great old pictures. I love the dresses on the ladies.
Another history lesson for the Leghorn faithful, VP.. Thanks.
I like everytinig about his post: lots of history and great vintage photos, esp. the women's dresses!! And the uniforms, too, of course.
Ciao! Interesting post...the ladies in the lower right corner photo are so happy appearing! "Livorno la Cara" I hope you too feel this way about Livorno! I couldn't have found a better blog to learn about your city! Grazie! If you have time today I wonder if you would just click on my blog and see if it still there with no problems. Most of yesterday afternoon and evening plus this AM I was unable to access my blog...I'm hoping it's my computer and that someone hasn't hacked into my blog.
I'm showing no viruses etc in my computer but I can't answer for the blog since I don't know what is wrong. Thank you again! Theanne
My email address is: magnolia.moon.pie@gmail.com
Rossini and Carmichael would have been great bloggers.
What's that "hula hoop" the ladies have?
Is that a Jewish "Levantine Trader"?
What a treasure, your book, and this post too.
I agree with Dina, about Rossii and Carmichael blogging:)
Thank you, VP, for this very informative post.
Such an interesting and unusual post today:)
Now we know how letters get delayed to this day! :-)
Thanks for this look back. Quite a story too.
This is fascinating, as all your posts are. I love this glimpse into the past. The old Levantine Trader looks like he has seen many years of business. What stories he could tell.
These old photos are fantastic! Especially the two girls in the last photo...their outfits are too cute :-D
The guy seems to have done a good job and I bet he enjoyed himself in the meantime!
God bless you!
Cezar
I love these old photos! Life sure is different now. :)
La parte su Lucca sarebbe interessante da leggere...ciao, Arianna!
Great information and great photos of the street scenes in those days.
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