La dott.ssa Chiara Nepi prepara campioni di typus in cartelle rosse presso la sala 5 dell'Erbario Centrale Italiano a Firenze. Il typus è l'esemplare tramite il quale è stata descritta per la prima volta una specie e viene considerato il rappresentante di riferimento della specie in questione. Nepi è Curatrice delle Collezioni Botaniche presso il Museo di Storia Naturale del Sistema Museale di Ateneo, Università degli Studi di Firenze. Firenze, 13 febbraio 2023.

La dott.ssa Chiara Nepi e la dott.ssa Agnese Zeni dialogano nella Sala di Consultazione dell'Erbario Centrale Italiano a Firenze, riflesse nel vetro di uno scaffale contenente campioni di erbari. Nepi è Curatrice delle Collezioni Botaniche presso il Museo di Storia Naturale del Sistema Museale di Ateneo, Università degli Studi di Firenze. Firenze, 13 febbraio 2023.

La dott.ssa Chiara Nepi preleva alcuni campioni di erbario di provenienza internazionale conservati negli armadi originali dell'Erbario Centrale Italiano, fondato nel 1842 a Firenze. Nepi è Curatrice delle Collezioni Botaniche presso il Museo di Storia Naturale del Sistema Museale di Ateneo, Università degli Studi di Firenze. Firenze, 13 febbraio 2023.

Un campione di erbario presso la Sala di Consultazione dell'Erbario Centrale Italiano a Firenze. Firenze, 13 febbraio 2023.

La dott.ssa Agnese Zeni consulta una campione di erbario presso la Sala di Consultazione dell'Erbario Centrale Italiano a Firenze. Zeni è ricercatrice ed esperta di erbari storici presso l'Università degli studi di Parma. Firenze, 13 febbraio 2023.

La dott.ssa Chiara Nepi mostra un etichetta per la classificazione dei campioni di erbario dell'Erbario Centrale Italiano, fondato nel 1842 a Firenze. La classificazione dei campioni non è alfabetica ma sistemica, cioè in base alle famiglie di appartenenza. Nepi è Curatrice delle Collezioni Botaniche presso il Museo di Storia Naturale del Sistema Museale di Ateneo, Università degli Studi di Firenze. Firenze, 13 febbraio 2023.

La stanza del Deposito dell'Erbario Centrale Italiano è il luogo dove vengono conservati i campioni di erbario duplici e le collezioni che devono essere ancora studiate. Firenze, 13 febbraio 2023.

La stanza del Deposito dell'Erbario Centrale Italiano è il luogo dove vengono conservati i campioni di erbario duplici e le collezioni che devono essere ancora studiate. Firenze, 13 febbraio 2023.

Il dott. Lorenzo Cecchi lavora al montaggio di un campione di erbario presso la sala 4 dell'Erbario Centrale Italiano a Firenze. Cecchi è Curatore delle Collezioni Botaniche presso il Museo di Storia Naturale del Sistema Museale di Ateneo, Università degli Studi di Firenze. Firenze, 13 febbraio 2023.

La dott.ssa Chiara Nepi mostra un campione di typus della collezione Webb dell'Erbario Centrale Italiano a Firenze. Il typus è l'esemplare tramite il quale è stata descritta per la prima volta una specie e viene considerato il rappresentante di riferimento della specie in questione. Nepi è Curatrice delle Collezioni Botaniche presso il Museo di Storia Naturale del Sistema Museale di Ateneo, Università degli Studi di Firenze. Firenze, 13 febbraio 2023.

La Sala Webb è una delle sale tematiche dell'Erbario Centrale Italiano a Firenze. L'erbario WebbFirenze, 13 febbraio 2023.

Busto di Filippo Parlatore, fondatore dell'Erbario Centrale Italiano a Firenze. Firenze, 13 febbraio 2023.

A boy comes out of a hole in the trunk of the huge plane tree of Curinga. The tree is estimated to be 1000 years old. The circumference of the trunk is 20 meters and reaches a height of 21 meters. The huge tree is also called "Vrisi", a term that in the local dialect indicates the word "stream". The environment of the Calabria Serre, where Curinga is settled, is in fact very rich in streams and springs. Curinga (CZ), 20 luglio 2020.

Some tourists visit the ruins of the Hermitage of Sant’Elia Vecchio in Curinga. It is not known the exact date of the building, but it must have already existed since year 1,000 a.C., a time when Roberto il Guiscardo transferred the hermitage under the ownership of Santa Euphemia Benedictine Abbey. Probably the origin of the plane tree is due to a Basilian monk, arrived in Curinga from the actual Armenia, who took with him a young plant of Platanus orientalis from his native land and planted close to the hermitage. Curinga (CZ), 19 luglio 2020.

Sheep herd grazes at Passo Godi, between the municipality of Scanno and Villetta Barrea, inside the territory of Abruzzo National Park. Under the forest that covers the Godi mountain, "Pontone" beech tree grows since 800 years ago. In the distance Mount Meta (2245 m). Passo Godi (AQ), 15 luglio 2020.

National Park ranger Alberto Cocuzzi looks at "Pontone" beech tree. The tree belongs to Fagus sylvatica species. It consists of the concretion of numerous stems which were separated in youth but with a common root apparatus. Then, their barks joined together over the centuries. "Pontone" beech tree is 21m in height and has a circumference of 8.30m. Passo Godi (AQ), 15 luglio 2020.

National Park ranger Alberto Cocuzzi strokes one of the mules used to transport wood logs from the forest. Mules are left to freely graze in the beech forest after a day's work. The wood collection activity from the forest is regulated within the Abruzzo National Park and provides for civil wood. Beech is an arboreal species mostly used for domestic heating. Passo Godi (AQ), 15 luglio 2020.

Spending time everyday with his 2,500 years old olive trees, De Ponti could appreciate the continuous adaptation of these trees to environmental stimuli. De Ponti loves to create small sculptures of stones in equilibrium on sticks between olive trees' trunks: a breath of wind, a movement of the ground and the stones fall. With patience De Ponti repositions them, like a mantra, a meditation inspired by the life of the olive trees, which saw the birth and fall of populations, wars, extreme weather events, cuts, yet they have always found resources to continue to thrive and turn their crown to the sun. Villastrada (PG), 13 luglio 2020.

Villastrada olive trees is a group of about ten Olea europea centuries-old, the oldest and largest one is dated to be from the 5th century b.C. (2500 yearsold). The gigantic olive tree has lost its center and remains alive in parts of its outer trunk. It is 14m in height, 12m of circumference. Villastrada (PG), 13 luglio 2020.

A view of the countryside around De Ponti olive orchard. Olive trees grooved once all over several hectares along the gentle hill overlooking the village of Cantagallina but, after a very strong frost in 1985, today only the ten ancient olive trees remain on the top of the hill. Villastrada (PG), 13 luglio 2020.

Fonte Avellana Monastery is located on the slopes of the forested area of Mount Catria (1701 m) at 700 meters on the sea level. The origins of the Monastery are placed around 980 a.C, when some hermits chose to build the first cells of a hermitage that in the course of centuries has become the current monastery. Fonte Avellana (PU), 27 agosto 2020.

Naturalist Francesco Martinelli sits under the 600 years old yew, Taxus baccata, also known as the "tree of death". All parts of the plant are toxic except for the berries. The active ingredient responsible for the toxicity of branches, leaves and seeds is an alkaloid, the tassin. Its common name derives from the Greek tóxon which means bow/arrow, while the name "tree of death" was also partly due to its use in the making of poisonous darts, thanks to its toxicity. Fonte Avellana (PU), 27 agosto 2020.

The scriptorium of the monastery was restored in 1958 and today it is used for spiritual meetings. The Monastery scriptorium was built in the sec. XII and is the place where the monks transcribed by hand the classical Greek, Latin and precious texts on ancient parchment. Fonte Avellana (PU), 27 agosto 2020.

Marino, the housekeeper of Villa Lancellotti, poses next to one of the retaining walls holding the huge oak's arms that is named after the arch doorway of Villa Falconieri, beside which the oak grew. Villa Falconieri was built in 1500 and overhauled by Cardinal Borromini in the first half of 1600: between these two dates the young oak plant began to grow. Frascati (RM), 17 luglio 2020.

The bark of the majestic oak is deeply furrowed and folded showing lines of different colors. Frascati (RM), 17 luglio 2020.

The oak tree, Quercus pubescens, as seen from inside Villa Falconieri's estate, measures approximately 25m in height with a circumference of the trunk of 6.10m. The foliage reaches a circumference of 36 meters and it is estimated to be more than 500 years old. In the background, Villa Lancellotti can be seen. Frascati (RM), 17 luglio 2020.

A Franciscan friar talks with some young under the cloister of Saint Francis convent under the huge cypress. Tradition tells that St. Francis, on the way to reach the convent next to the Church of Santa Croce, picked up a stick on the way to help him walking. Once he reached the the convent, he wanted to burn the stick and threw it in the fire. But the stick did not catch fire. He interpreted this prodigy as a sign, and planted the stick which generates the cypress. Villa Verucchio (RN), 6 luglio 2020.

The convent of St. Francesco was built in 1215 by Brother Elias, St. Francis disciple, and is the oldest Franciscan monastery in Emilia Romagna region. The most recent botanical report has established that the cypress was unequivocally planted at the beginning of 13th century. The age is therefore 800 years old. The circumference of the trunk near the ground is 5.15 m, while just under the divarications of the first branches it reaches a circumference of 7.37 m. Villa Verucchio (RN), 6 luglio 2020.

The cypress' scientific name is Cupressus sempervirens. Many visitors come in pilgrimage to this giant of the Franciscan convent to collect its berries (galbuli) from the ground in the hope that they will germinate, giving rise to new "blessed" plants. Villa Verucchio (RN), 6 luglio 2020.

Luca Franzese, Guide of Pollino National Park, and Carmine Lo Tufo walk along Piano del Gaudolino, on the path to reach the Patriarch. Monte Pollino (2248 m) rises in the background. High altitude tree populations are sparse, as are the Loricate pines of Pollino, whose single individuals grow far apart from each other. Pollino Loricato pines derive from a Balkans original nucleus which, following tectonic events and sea level rise, remained isolated in this region, the only one in Italy. Pollino (CZ), 30 luglio 2020.

The Patriarch of Pollino is an old Loricate pine (Pinus leucodermis), 600 years old. Its massive roots anchor it firmly to the rocky and poor ground, typical of high altitudes (above 2000m). It's a very frugal species, which manages to live on sterile cliffs and ridges. It needs just some spring water and few summer storms. Its accretions are very limited and therefore the species is long-living. Pollino (CZ), 30 luglio 2020.

Under the light of an almost full moon, Piano Ruggio is wrapped in a low fog, condensation of the high daytime humidity. Pollino (CZ), 30 luglio 2020.

Two Italian chimney sweeps cheer and wave the Italian flag from the roof of the old Town Hall building, as grand final of the chimney sweeps parade in Santa Maria Maggiore. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

Chimney sweeps from different countries of the world sit down for a cold beer and a chat outside the restaurant "Il Rusca" in Piazza Risorgimento in Santa Maria Maggiore. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times

Two young chimeny sweeps from Denmark rest on a bench in the park surrounding Mueso dello Spazzazcamino (Chimney Sweep Museum) in Santa Maria Maggiore. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times

Chimney sweeps dance together with tourists in the park surrounding Museo dello Spazzacamino (Chimney Sweep Museum) where a dance floor and a music band have been set in Santa Maria Maggiore. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

Some chimney sweeps dance in an openair disco set by the festival's organisers in Santa Maria Maggiore town center. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York

Some chimney sweeps hang out in the courtyard of Santa Maria Maggiore Town Hall during the evening party in the town's streets. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York

Some chimney sweeps play traditional music in Piazza Risorgimento in Santa Maria Maggiore, during the evening party in the town's streets. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

Some chimney sweeps chat in Piazza Risorgimento during the evening party in Santa Maria Maggiore town's streets. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

Fireworks explode from the roof of Santa Maria Maggiore Town Hall to celebrate the International Reunion of Chimney Sweeps. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

Chminey sweeps, from different countries of the world, wait the bus to reach Malesco, a town in Val Vigezzo, where they pay tribute to the statue of little Fausto Cappini, who died in Milan at the age of 13 for having touched high tension wires while cleaning a chimney. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

Dutch chimney sweeps, the only country wearing white working clothes, queue to pay tribute to the statue of little Fausto Cappini, who died in Milan at the age of 13 for having touched high tension wires while cleaning a chimney. The statue is in Malesco, a town of Val Vigezzo. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

Chimney sweeps from Denmark pay tribute to the statue of little Fausto Cappini, who died in Milan at the age of 13 for having touched high tension wires while cleaning a chimney. The statue is in Malesco, a town of Val Vigezzo. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

Chimney sweeps from different countries of the world gather in the main square of Villette, a town in Val Vigezzo, before visiting the museum and celebrating a mass dedicated to all the chimey sweeps who died on their working place. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

Chimney sweeps from Switzerland parade along the narrow pedestrian streets of Villette, a town of Val Vigezzo. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

Chimney sweeps from Switzerland parade along the narrow pedestrian streets of Villette, a town of Val Vigezzo. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

Chimney sweeps from different countries gather for a beer and a chat in front of the Town Hall of Villette, Val Vigezzo. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

Chimney sweeps from Germany wait outside the church of Villette, a town in Val Vigezzo, before attending the mass dedicated to all the chimey sweeps who died on their working place. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

Some women from Val Vigezzo, wearing traditional clothes, prepare to join the chimney sweeps parade in Santa Maria Maggiore on Sunday morning. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

Villagers from Val Vigezzo, wearing traditional clothes, dance at the town's music band in a pedestrian street of Santa Maria Maggiore, while waiting to join the chimney sweeps parade on Sunday morning. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

Policemen gather at the head of the chimney sweeps parade waiting to escort it, while villagers from Val Vigezzo, dressed in traditional clothes, get ready in a pedestrian street of Santa Maria Maggiore. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

The traditional music band of Val Vigezzo, walks in Piazza Risorgimento, the main square of Santa Maria Maggiore, heading the chimney sweeps parade on Sunday morning. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

Italian chimney sweeps cheer the crowd in Piazza Risorgimento, in front of the old Town Hall building, to the cry "spazzacamino". Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

The German group of chimney sweeps walks in Piazza Risorgimento, the main square of Santa Maria Maggiore, during the Sunday morning parade. It's a tradition for the chimney sweeps to throw candies and gadgets to the crowd. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

An Italian chimney sweep stains in soot the face of a woman among the crowd of people come to see the chimney sweeps' parade in Piazza Risorgimento, the main square of Santa Maria Maggiore. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

An American chimney sweep walks shadowing under a blue umbrella, in Piazza Risorgimento, the main square of Santa Maria Maggiore, during the Sunday morning parade. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

A group of German chimney sweeps stops in front of the authorities stage in Piazza Risorgimento, in Santa Maria Maggiore, to explode golden heart-shaped confetti. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

A view of Piazza Risorgimento from Santa Maria Maggiore Town Hall, during the chimney sweeps parade. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

People come to see the chimney sweeps' parade in Piazza Risorgimento, the main square of Santa Maria Maggiore, arrived since early morning in order to get the best spot. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

The German group of chimney sweeps walks in Piazza Risorgimento, the main square of Santa Maria Maggiore, during the Sunday morning parade. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

People cheer and collect the gadgets that chimney sweeps throw to them while parading in Piazza Risorgimento, the main square of Santa Maria Maggiore. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

The German group of chimney sweeps walks in front of the authorities stage in Piazza Risorgimento, the main square of Santa Maria Maggiore, on Sunday morning. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

The German group of chimney sweeps walks in Piazza Risorgimento, the main square of Santa Maria Maggiore, during the Sunday morning parade. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.

A Danish chimney sweep walks pushing his red bycicle in front of Museo dello Spazzacamino (Chimney Sweep Museum) in Santa Maria Maggiore. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times

Portraits of Professor David Monacchi, shot for Radar Magazine, Issue#1 https://www.radarmagazine.net/index.php/2020/09/23/il-rumore-dellestinzione/

A dream of white

"The moment everything closed, I immediately began memorizing texts, poems. It was always something I did in difficult times, even in the past. The first poem was composed by Arsenij Aleksandrovic Tarkovsky about a child who recalls seeing a white nurse from his hospital bed when he became ill. I also thought of the color white during the pandemic: others were enveloped in a white glow." Isadora Angelini is an award-winning independent actress, dancer and director. She performs at international festivals like Santarcangelo. In 2006, she cofounded Patalò Theatre company with Luca Serrani. Project Elisabetta Zavoli and Stefania Prandi Photo by Elisabetta Zavoli @elizavola Words by Stefania Prandi @stefania.prandi
Setting by Elisabetta Zavoli, Stefania Prandi, Luca Serrani Styling and Make up by Elisabetta Zavoli and Isadora Angelini
Location ex-Corderia Santarcangelo (RN), Italy Assistant Luca Serrani @luca_serrani

Mami Yulie, 56, and her companion Agus, 32, are asleep in their room, in Mami Yuli's house. Jakarta, Indonesia, 2016.