The Red Curtain of Bologna

The essay by writer, critic, poet, and artist John Berger (1926–2017) is simultaneously an ontological journey through Bologna and an homage to an unnamed friend, in which one can discern Giorgio Morandi, the genius loci of this unreal city. The colors, smells, and even tastes of Bologna, scattered throughout meditative notes, envelop the reader as if they become tangible. The narrator moves through geographical space and the space of memory, connecting descriptions of what he sees on medieval streets with reflections on the spirit of the city, the country, painting, and Italian cuisine.