Francesco Geminiani

---

Francesco Geminiani by Nicola Domenici, 2017
Piazza Guidiccioni
Lucca, June 2024

"Francesco Xaverio Geminiani (baptised 5 December 1687 – 17 September 1762) was an Italian violinist, composer, and music theorist. BBC Radio 3 once described him as ‘now largely forgotten, but in his time considered almost a musical god, deemed to be the equal of Handel and Corelli’. Born in Lucca, he received lessons in music from Alessandro Scarlatti, and studied the violin under Carlo Ambrogio Lonati in Milan and afterwards under Arcangelo Corelli. From 1707 he took the place of his father in the Cappella Palatina of Lucca. From 1711, he led the opera orchestra at Naples, as Leader of the Opera Orchestra and concertmaster, which gave him many opportunities for contact with Alessandro Scarlatti. After a brief return to Lucca, in 1714, he set off for London in the company of Francesco Barsanti, where he arrived with the reputation of a virtuoso violinist, and soon attracted attention and patrons, including William Capel, 3rd Earl of Essex, who remained a consistent patron. In 1715 Geminiani played his violin concerti for the court of George I, with Handel at the keyboard." (Francesco Geminiani, Wikipedia)

Meran Hotel

---

Meran Hotel
Václavské náměstí, Nové Město
Prague, September 2024

“The Meran Hotel, Wenceslas Square (formerly the Hotel Garni) was designed by Alois Dryák and Jan Letzel, and constructed between 1895 and 1906. Directly abutting on this building is another fine example of contemporary art nouveau work, the Grand Hotel Evropa.” (Meran Hotel, The Prague Vitruvius)

Monumento ai Caduti

---

Monumento ai Caduti (War Memorial) by Alfredo Angeloni, 1930
Piazzale del Risorgimento
Lucca, June 2024

"The monument, situated in piazza del Risorgimento near Lucca train station and S. Pietro gate in the town walls, has a large, tall stone base with steps. Above this there is a vertical element where, at either side, there are two high-relief statues (the Sacrifice; the Warrior). The structure is topped by a bronze equestrian statue of a classical warrior on a horse, with a small winged victory in his left hand and a flag pole in the right. The Lucca War Memorial was inaugurated, after eight years of work, numerous bureaucratic iterative, changes of plan and differences of opinion on its location, in 1930 in the presence of the King." (Lucca War Memorial, The Lands of Giacomo Puccini)