Il cinematografo artistico (The artistic cinema)

Palazzo Mastiani Brunacci, facciata (M. Cerrai, Comune di Pisa)

The Mastiani Brunacci family arrived in Pisa from San Giovanni alla Vena in 1402, became noble in the 18th century, but died out in 1951. The building is an example of the neoclassicism of the early 19th century. It was the first building to have electricity and contains 118 rooms and 20 halls. Within its walls it preserves wonderful frescoes and on the façade of the building there is still the coat of arms of the Mastiani Brunacci family. In the nineteenth century, it hosted the most prestigious salon in the city, the meeting point of the most exclusive society of the city and Europe.

It was the beautiful Elena, countess Elena Mastiani Brunacci, who gave life to the political and literary salon. She was called the princesse de Guermantes of Pisa and all the women tried to imitate her well-known elegance. It is said that she had 'candid and admirably turned' hands, which were then chosen as a model by Canova for the Venus Anadyomene. One of her exceptional guests was Giacomo Leopardi and, despite her encouragement, it seems that a love story between them never developed. Perhaps he was in love with the sister-in-law of the owner of the inn where he was staying: Maria Teresa Lucignani, who was twenty years old, had blond curls and was cheerful and lively. In 1905, the General Artistic Society of Rome opened the city's second cinema here: the Cinematografo Artistico (Artistic Cinema).