Steampunk 2025

It’s been one week since the end of Lucca’s big Comics event and we are all breathing a sigh of relief at having survived the crowds and chaos.  Soon the tents will all be down (that takes a bit of time) and the city will have a period of quiet before the Christmas season begins.  Though here in Lucca, Christmas decorations are already showing up in window displays and shops.

But first, I will wrap up Comics with some photos from my favorite event, the Steampunk parade.  Actually, 3 days of Steampunk parades, each with a different theme but all with the hallmarks of Steampunk Style – Victorian elegance meets Industrial Revolution mechanical chic.  That means lots of fancy dresses and hoop skirts for the ladies, top hats and vests for the men.  The basic dress is then paired with goggles, gears, jet packs, brass arm braces, flying machines, interesting weapons, and telescopes.  

The Steampunk Italia group, which always has a big presence at Lucca Comics, goes all out in terms of costumes. It has to be the most photographed event of Comics, and for good reason. The creativity, self-expression, and cost (in terms of time and money) in creating these outfits is over the top.  Each day’s parade began in front of the San Michele church where participants posed for photos before beginning their procession through town. 

The theme for day one was Flotti Aeree, Air Fleets, with a mostly white and tan color scheme.  Every form of early industrial age flight was included.  Costumes included a variety of wings – feathered ones, canvas ones, and mechanical ones (steam powered of course). 

There were hot air balloons, propellers, flight helmets, goggles, and altimeters.

 Day two’s theme was Opere d’ Arte Viventi (Living Works of Art).  For this parade, the color of the day was mostly black and there were many picture frames added to costumes with the usual Steampunk sense of style.  Several well-known artists were represented along with many creative works of art. 

 The third and final day’s theme was a tribute to the world of Jules Verne. That world includes undersea and lunar exploration, travel, mad scientists, and flight. Some of the participants had entirely different costumes for this parade.

Look closely - can you spot Diana, one of Lucca’s own Steampunk enthusiasts, in three different costumes? Imagine the chaos in the dressing rooms after 3 days of different outfits!

Steampunk is the ultimate in cosplay events during the festival.  A big thanks to the Steampunk Italia troupe for all of their efforts to make this a fantastic event!

Lucca Comics and Games 2025

After a couple of weeks away from Lucca, I arrived back just in time for the 2025 edition of Lucca Comics and Games (Comics for short). The event is massive – Lucca’s narrow medieval streets, and every piazza, are packed full of people.  It is a little hard to imagine what 100,000 people look like when shoehorned into a small medieval city.  Trust me, it is wall to wall crowds. The thought of hurrying to get anywhere is laughable.  Going with the flow is the only choice. While I do grumble (often and loudly) about the crowds, somehow I find myself darting through them to take photographs. 

 This year’s theme was French Kiss, a nod to the influence of France in art, pop culture, and comics. The organizers further described the theme as Liberty, Creativity, and Diversity. All three of those values were on display, especially in the fantastic costumes.  The French theme showed up in various ways, berets and all.

I missed one photo opportunity that passed by too quickly  – men in black shirts that read “Louvre Security”.  They carried bags of jewels - a last minute but creative and theme-appropriate costume. 

 The first two days of the event were very rainy, but days 3 - 5 saw better weather.   Still overcast, but dry and 60+ degrees, it was perfect Comics weather and a nice Halloween treat.  It also meant that the costumes came out from under jackets and raincoats, filling the streets with all sorts of characters.

 It was entertaining wandering through Lucca taking photos.  The costumes ranged from simple to elaborate, from scary to fantastical, from prim and proper to sexy.  There were super heroes and princesses, monsters and angels, gaming figures and fairytale characters, steampunk cosplayers (my personal favorite), knights and ladies, cowgirls, ninjas, and men in drag. There were even a few creatures that I could not begin to identify, though many had the same pointy ears. 

A simple “posso?” and all were happy to stop and pose for photos.  

The crowds are quite well behaved, making it a safe space for families and kids. The kids were adorable! 

Whole families wore coordinating costumes, some even bringing along their dogs.

 Babbo Natale made an early appearance, stopping for lunch with some of his elves.

When it comes to Comics, pictures really are worth 1,000 words. Enjoy these photos.  Next week – Steampunk!

A big thanks to my friend Candice for sharing some photos for this post!

La Festa di Pane (The Festival of Bread)

Tourists, and big tour groups, are everywhere in Lucca right now. One of the challenges of living in an historic city!

Today, September 22nd, is the autumnal equinox, officially the first day of fall.  But, after having hints of fall weather in mid-September, this past weekend saw a return to summer-like temperatures.  Between the warm temperatures and the large number of tourists in town, it is hard to believe that fall is just around the corner.

The Settembre Lucchese events are still going strong, even after the conclusion of the Luminaria di Santa Croce event which happened a week ago. The past week has seen disco music in Piazza San Francesco, the monthly antiques market, and the start of Lucca Film Festival.  The Film Festival continues this week with film screenings and appearances by several well-known actors and directors.

My favorite event of the past weekend was La Festa del Pane (The Festival of Bread). The event, which took place in Piazza Napoleone, featured local Lucchese bakers who set up a bakery right in the piazza.  

In the pop up bakery they produced many different types of breads, from beginning to finished product.   Tables were laden with rustic loaves, whole grain ones, and even fancy shaped breads fresh from the ovens.  On Saturday, the star of the show were the various breads and focaccia. 

On Sunday morning, sweeter Lucchese specialties were baked. There were beautiful trecce (braids) studded with chocolate bits and loaves of Buccellato, a sweet bread scented with anise and dotted with raisins. Both are typical Lucca foods.

Another Lucca specialty also made an appearance, Torta di Becchi. This is an unusual local torta (not quite a cake, not quite a pie) with both sweet and savory elements.  Imagine a pastry crust filled with a mixture of chard, pine nuts, raisins, sugar, eggs, milk, and spices.  Perhaps a dash of rum or some candied citron.  The edges of the pastry crust are pinched up to form the becchi (beaks). It is a bit of an acquired taste, but a much loved one here in Lucca.

 Samples were handed out to the onlookers, making them very happy. The breads, pastries, and cakes could also be purchased for a donation, which went to support a local charity.

Un assaggio?

The Festa di Pane was a great way to sample some of Lucca’s specialty breads. It’s just one of the many Settembre Lucchese events that make this a great place to visit in September. 

Even Spider Man dropped by to serenade everyone! 

The Restoration of An Icon

This painting, in the Church of San Frediano, portrays the arrival of the Volta Santo on an ox cart.

In Lucca, a city where legends and mysteries abound, one such tale surrounds a religious icon known as the Volto Santo (Holy Face).  According to the legend, the crucifix with the body of Christ was carved by Nicodemus shortly after the resurrection.  Nicodemus struggled to complete the face which was miraculously completed by angels while the sculptor slept.  But that is only the beginning of the mysteries surrounding the Volta Santo.

Some 700 years later, a series of miracles took place as the crucifix went to sea on an unmanned ship, eventually landing on the coast of Italy.  From there, a driverless ox cart brought the crucifix to Lucca where it was placed in the Church of San Frediano.  After somehow disappearing from San Frediano, the crucifix reappeared near the Cathedral of San Martino.  Another miracle or a case of ancient clerical mischief?   

Miracle or not, the ancient wooden crucifix has been permanently housed in San Martino, Lucca’s main cathedral, ever since.  Each September 13th Lucca celebrates the Volto Santo with the Festival of Santa Croce (Holy Cross) and a luminaria procession in which the historic center is bathed in candlelight while religious, civic, and historical groups make their way through town.  It is a solemn and evocative event.  During the celebration, the crucifix, which most years remains in its small chapel within the cathedral, is dressed in gold vestments.  The crucifix itself is much too valuable, and too heavy, to be part of the procession. Instead, it is represented each year by a banner bearing its image and a huge cross made of flowers.

Prior to the restoration, the original colors were lost to environmental damage and repainting. Much of the expression of Christ’s face was dulled. The gold crown and collar are only placed on the crucifix during the Festival of Santa Croce each September.

Over time, the sculpture has changed in appearance.  The original colors were lost to the effects of soot from candles, repainting, and waxing over the centuries, so that the entire body took on a dark appearance.  The glass paste eyes had been painted over, losing much of their expression.  There was damage to the wood of the cross and the body.   Fearing that there would be continued deterioration, the decision was made to carefully restore the icon.

One of the first things undertaken was radiocarbon dating based on samples of the wood.  Previously, it was believed that the Volto Santo was a 12th century piece, but carbon dating proves it to be even older – 9th century – making it one of the oldest wooden crucifixes in existence,

Perhaps the most important decision in the process was restoration was to create a laboratory within the church where the work, managed by the Department of Polychrome Wooden Sculpture at the Oficio delle Pietre Dure, would take place.  This meant both that the valuable statue did not have far to move and that the public could watch the restoration process which required about 2 years to complete.   It also meant that for the last couple of years the statue was not dressed in its gold vestments during the September Luminaria festival. 

The restoration work took place in a laboratory built inside the cathedral. Slowly the original colors were revealed and restored. Photo from the website voltosantolucca.it

But all of that changed a few days ago.  On September 13th of this year, restoration complete, the Volto Santo was revealed to the public.  It has not yet been placed back in its small chapel as that structure is also undergoing restoration.  Instead, it is now positioned upright in the restoration laboratory within the cathedral where it will remain until next summer.   It is beautifully displayed and the lighting allows for appreciation of all the colors (which were determined by careful analysis of the existing traces of paint) and details.  The face is especially remarkable.  Before restoration the features were indistinct with a monotone color.  Today they are much more lifelike and expressive.  The colors and details of the robes and the crucifix itself are wonderful.   

This carefully undertaken restoration, completed just in time for the 2025 Volto Santo celebration, is a modern day miracle and guarantees that this important and historic icon will continue to hold a special place in Lucca for centuries to come.  

Many visitors - locals and tourists alike - came to see the restored Volta Santo on the day of the Luminaria of Santa Croce festival last Saturday.

As I write this, on September 13th, bells are ringing throughout Lucca and the luminaria candles are ready to be lit. It’s a good day to be in Lucca.

To see detailed photos of the restoration: voltosantolucca.it

This series of bells were set up in the piazza next to the Cathedral of San Martino and rang throughout the day of the festival.

Three Flights, 20 Hours, One Ocean and Two Continents Later

There are still plenty of tourists in town, enjoying the late summer weather.

 Whew!  I am finally back in Lucca after being away for most of the summer.  Getting here required 3 flight segments and 20+ hours of travel across the Atlantic from North America to Italy, with a layover in Germany along the way.  I don’t really enjoy the travel, or the jet lag, but the result - arrival back home to Lucca - is always worth it. 

The first glimpse of the city walls brings instant relaxation after a long journey. Stepping into my little Italian apartment is a delight.  The city of Lucca offers a warm welcome and this year it greeted me with wonderfully mild temperatures and blue skies streaked with white clouds.

One of the first things I do when I return after a period away is to walk through town to see what has changed.  And there is always change, even in an old Medieval town like Lucca.  But many things stay the same and it is good to revisit some of my favorite places.  I am glad to see that my favorite shop for old prints and framing, Cornice e Quadri on Via Sant’Andrea, remains open.  It’s a Lucca classic and the place to search for historic city maps and drawings, one of which hangs on my wall in New Mexico to remind me of Lucca when I am away.

It’s always a relief to visit one of Lucca’s historic shops. This is the best place to find antique maps and prints!

The Torre Guinigi and the Old Mercato building stood ready to welcome me back.  I know that some day when I return I will find the scaffolding down and the restoration of the Mercato complete, but this was not the year for that. When I first moved to Lucca, in 2018, I remember thinking that by the next year the Mercato work would be finished. Silly me! That was before I learned about the realities of restoration work in Italy.

There is one spot on the wall that always calls my name on my first day back.  It is “my” bench just above the Palazzo Pfanner with a good view into the gardens.  My friends know that I claim this bench, so much so that they’ve even sent me photos of other people sitting there when I am away.  Such a tease! 

When even the nuns “steal” your bench ! (Thanks to the Palmieris for this photo)

On my way to the wall I passed by the steps in front of the Church of San Frediano – just in time to see a bride and groom having their photos taken.  Later I passed by the decorated car that will whisk them away from the city after their photos.  It’s always fun to catch these happy moments.

But the very best welcome came in the form of Murabilia – Lucca’s fall garden show.  It is one of my favorite annual events and marks the end of the summer season and the beginning of autumn. 

A host of fall products are offered – braids of garlic, bright pepperoncini plants, bags of pecans, dried porcini mushrooms, vines full of grapes or figs, baskets of crisp apples, and colorful gourds and pumpkins.  There are also trees for fall plantings and educational displays about agricultural products. 

Vendors sell artisanal products – art, crafts, brooms, linens, soaps, etc.  The booths selling spices from around the world scent the air.  Wonderful cheeses, salumi, and breads are available too. 

This year I was able to do a tasting of Balsamic Vinegars from Modena at one of the booths.  The 5 that I tasted ranged from a simple young vinegar (one you might use in a salad dressing) to an exquisite one aged 20+ years – sweet and thick, it would make a fine digestive after a meal.  A drop on a piece of Parmigiano Reggiano would be heavenly. That one was beyond my budget at €100 per bottle, but the one aged 12+ years was just right in both flavor and price and that’s the bottle that went home with me. The small bottle will last me for a year, doled out just a few drops at a time.

No late summer week in Lucca would be complete without a gelato, right? In September the Uva Fragola grapes are ripe and they make the best gelato! Over the next week I will be busy catching up with friends and settling back into my Italian life. It’s good to be back in Lucca.