(ANSA) - CORTONA (AREZZO), 12 AUG - An American couple, Victoria and Larry Smith, meet Cortona (Arezzo) on vacation then decide to come and live there and renovate an old farmhouse and now, with the proceeds from the sales of a book written precisely on their experience in this corner of Tuscany, the 'Tondo Signorelli' will be restored, a work dated 1510-1515, created by the Renaissance artist Luca Signorelli and kept in the town museum. The book, all set in Cortona, is titled 'The Little Lark Still Sings (La lodolina sings still) and is enjoying some success in the United States and England. Victoria Smith tells how the purchase of a farmhouse called the Lodolina (hence the title) transformed herself, her husband and their marriage.
For the couple, coming from Chicago, thanks to the effort in the renovation of the farmhouse, a 'symbiotic effect' with the Italian dimension was created. "There are more than 50 local characters whose stories intertwine in this book, stories of people all met and known during this transformation process - explains Victoria Smith - We used to go to Cortona on vacation and we fell in love with this place and the warm welcome from its inhabitants. When we moved from Chicago and came to live here full time, we discovered a new dimension. For us it was a challenge to understand Italy, but also ourselves ". The restoration of the work will be carried out with the proceeds from the sales. "It is an appreciable initiative - comments the president of Maec,Nicola Caldarone - and the hope is that it can contribute to the consolidation of relations between Cortona and the United States and that it can lead to mutual benefits in the field of cultural promotion "." The truly meritorious intention should be emphasized - underlines the councilor for culture di Cortona, Francesco Attesti - to raise funds and use them for an initiative that benefits the historical and artistic heritage and therefore in favor of the community ". (ANSA).Francesco Attesti - to raise funds and use them for an initiative that benefits the historical and artistic heritage and therefore in favor of the community ". (ANSA).Francesco Attesti - to raise funds and use them for an initiative that benefits the historical and artistic heritage and therefore in favor of the community ". (ANSA).