La vita nuova

A vivid portrait emerges of a young artist torn between the misty streets of London and the distant sunlit hills of Italy. Raised in an exile community that kept the spirit of a reborn nation alive, he absorbed the fervor of Italian patriots and the timeless verses of Dante Alighieri. This early immersion sparked a deep yearning to translate poetic love into visual form, shaping a personal quest for humility and inner peace.

The book follows his first daring attempts to illustrate the medieval masterpiece, revealing sketches that pulse with symbolic eyes and tender mouths. Through careful commentary, listeners discover how his emerging style foreshadowed the Pre‑Raphaelite revolt against conventional art, marrying rich colour with spiritual intensity. As his brush meets the page, the synergy of word and image invites us into a world where devotion, longing, and artistic rebellion intertwine, offering a fresh lens on a timeless love story.