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Pontecosi Lake
Photo © Giancarlo Cerri
Photo © Giancarlo Cerri

Garfagnana of the past by Giancarlo Cerri photographer

Take a look at some beautiful black & white pictures taken in the Garfagnana area in the 1980s and in the 1990s

The Garfagnana is an area in the province of Lucca, Tuscany, situated between the mountains of the Apuan Alps and the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. The River Serchio flows here and this land is covered by the green and luxuriant vegetation of its virgin woods.

The Garfagnana area is dotted by small towns and villages where ancient traditions live on. Here are some photos taken during the eighties and nineties by Giancarlo Cerri.

Contents
  • 1.
    Steam train in Borgo a Mozzano
  • 2.
    Vergemoli
  • 3.
    White horse in Careggine
  • 4.
    Lago Pontecosi
  • 5.
    Capraia locals #1
  • 6.
    Capraia locals #2
  • 7.
    Gallicano locals
  • 8.
    Fabbriche di Careggine
  • 9.
    Ironworks in Gragliana
  • 10.
    Pig butchery
1.

Steam train in Borgo a Mozzano

Steam train in Garfagnana
Steam train in Garfagnana - Credit: Giancarlo Cerri

This photograph was made in Borgo a Mozzano on the occasion of an extra ride (1st of May) of the steam train from Lucca to Castelnuovo Garfagnana.

1.

Vergemoli

A man and his dog in Vergemoli
A man and his dog in Vergemoli - Credit: Giancarlo Cerri

This photograph was taken in Vergemoli in 1989. It depicts a shepherd with his dog at sunset, in the background a fold and the mountains.

1.

White horse in Careggine

White horse in Careggine
White horse in Careggine - Credit: Giancarlo Cerri

The photo of the White Horse was made in 1989 near Le Coste (Careggine) in a prairie where horses and cows graze.

1.

Lago Pontecosi

Pontecosi Lake
Pontecosi Lake - Credit: Giancarlo Cerri

Lake Pontecosi with a play of reflections of the railway bridge and the bridge leading to the church. This picture was taken back in 1985.

1.

Capraia locals #1

Male portrait in Capraia
Male portrait in Capraia - Credit: Giancarlo Cerri

Male portrait, the picture was taken in the woods of Capraia (Sillico) during the processing of chestnuts in a chestnut drying. Photo taken in 1991.

1.

Capraia locals #2

Couple portrait in Garfagnana
Couple portrait in Garfagnana - Credit: Giarcarlo Cerri

Male portrait with a female figure in the background. Photo taken in Sillico in 1991.

1.

Gallicano locals

Female portrait in Gallicano
Female portrait in Gallicano - Credit: Giancarlo Cerri

Female portrait, the picture was taken near Gallicano in a very cold morning. Photo taken in 1985.

1.

Fabbriche di Careggine

Fabbriche di Careggine
Fabbriche di Careggine - Credit: Giancarlo Cerri

In this picture you see the town of Fabbriche di Careggine, a really unique place today covered by the lake of Vagli.

It was 1994 when it was emptied for the last time, and this photo was taken exactly that year.

1.

Ironworks in Gragliana

Life in local ironworks
Life in local ironworks - Credit: Giancarlo Cerri

Ironworks in Gragliana, a place where people forged the iron with the aid of water powered hammers. Photo taken in 1990.

1.

Pig butchery

Pig butchery in Garfagnana
Pig butchery in Garfagnana - Credit: Giancarlo Cerri

December and January are the months in which families in Garfagnana butcher the pig. Photo taken in Le Coste (Careggine) in 1989.

Giancarlo Cerri approached photography in the early eighties. He prefers the b&w technique and especially the photo reportage with which he has participated in numerous national and international photographic competitions, earning awards.

Some of his images have been published in important magazines and books specialized in photography and he set personal and group exhibitions in several Italian cities. He worked on three research books about the traditions and rural civilization of Lucca area.

He won several awards such as the Clubs’ FIAP WORLD CUP in Drienbergen, Holland in 1993 with his work “People of the Garfagnana".

The original version of this article was written by Serena Puosi.

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