The visual chaos that characterises most areas of Naples is also caused by the very high density of graphical elements. Even a road sign in Piazzetta Nilo was heavily retouched, adding elements that are added to signs and posters all around. It is difficult to distinguish what is official from what is not - as often is the case in all Neapolitan things
For my two-days trip in Napoli (Naples: I somehow dislike using the Anglo-Saxon name for this Italian town), the photographic gear choice was quite easy: I wanted light and unobtrusive. I went for an iPhone 5 and a Fuji X-T1 fitted with a Nikkor 50/1.2 lens. Although normally I like short tele lenses, I felt that for Napoli I reached more often for my 35mm-e equipped iPhone. Actually I have already decided that my next trip will see me together with a serious wide angle lens.
It was December 2015 but the air was still all but freezing cold and walks were easily a good choice for visiting the town.
Personal choices aside, this may well be explained with the fact that I mostly liked touring the old town, such as Spaccanapoli and the Quartieri Spagnoli, that most certainly deserve a second and a third visit, at least, in such as they closely resemble an open-air theatre where the actors are the whole people of Napoli.
Plenty is said about Naples, good and bad, so that it is very difficult to have a look around the town with virgin eyes. The scenes that develop under your own eyes are, someway, different from what you expected, because this expectation was intense and — probably — misguided. Most probably, the idea you already had was wrong; most probably, the lens you had mounted on your camera was not your best choice!
Sacred icons like this, that relate to centuries-old iconography, are frequently found in the Italian streets, either in the form of statue or painting, normally anonymous and unattributed. A modern LG external air-conditioning unit contrasts with the classic scene. This was photographed in via Nuova Santa Maria Ogni Bene in the old Spanish District of Naples.
The extremely narrow streets of some districts of Naples make the use of scooters (rather than cars) almost a necessity. In this ancient alley of the Spanish district, it can very well be seen why.
Christmas is heartfelt in the whole city and special importance is given to physical representations of the Nativity scenes (“Presepe”). The local district of San Giorgio Armeno is famously devoted to this art.
An old (yet fully functional!) Vespa is parked in front of a cart selling hot dogs and cold drinks. The Spanish Quarters are the oldest part of Naples and these props seem to confirm this
Signs (inscriptions, statues, images) of catholic devotion abund in Napoli. A traditional figure representing Holy Mary is found, anonymous and unattributed, in a narrow alley intersecting the ancient Via dei Tribunali
Padre Pio is a popular Saint in Italy. In this ancient street of the Spanish District in Naples, a statue was erected together with an altar that devotees decorate, even with their own photos. A car is parked in front of the statue on steps that in some places replace the paved street. The iPhone was (fortunately) unable to freeze the run of the boy
In Naples, shops have the rare possibility of being open for business in the middle of ancient palaces. This is a detail of some Christmas decorations used in via dei Tribunali, around Spaccanapoli, in Napoli’s old town.
Old and ancient as it is, it should not be surprising that street names in Naples change often and are updated. This “vico” (alley) is perhaps an extreme example and shows, together with the current name, three older ones. A market stall selling trinkets is visible just at the junction.
The visual chaos that characterises most areas of Naples is also caused by the very high density of graphical elements. Even a road sign in Piazzetta Nilo was heavily retouched, adding elements that are added to signs and posters all around. It is difficult to distinguish what is official from what is not – as often is the case in all Neapolitan things
All images are Copyright (C) 2016 Marco Venturini Autieri, all rights reserved. For licensing, try this lightbox on iStock.
