Dear Francesca,
I hope you are well; it has been such a long time since I last heard from you, and writing this letter feels like the best way to rekindle our “pen and paper” connection. Your love and passion for art, culture, and literature have now completely rubbed off on me. The world of art has become a source of joy for me too, and I’d love to share with you my recent visit to a truly innovative and avant-garde museum — a safe haven for art and contemporary artists.
On 23rd April, I took part in a guided tour of the Fiermonte Museum, located in the heart of Lecce. The museum is, in fact, a foundation dedicated to Antonia Fiermonte, a painter and violinist of Apulian origin. Through the city of Lecce, Apulia becomes a symbolic bridge between past and present — a space where one's roots and origins intertwine with the creative and biographical essence of the artist.
Founded by Antonia’s grandchildren, the Fiermonte Museum features themed suites and gardens that evoke the atmosphere of Apulian summers, where the emotions stirred by the sculptures are comparable to the brightness of the stars. Each sculpture is a messenger of passion, beauty, enchantment, artistic diversity, and fragments of Antonia’s personal story.
One such work, the sculpture titled "Le Pont", takes us on a journey into Antonia’s present and past. In Paris, she became the muse of sculptor René Letourneur, who was captivated by her beauty, vitality, and charm — so much so that he was willing to risk his marriage in order to live the purest essence of love with her. Le Pont symbolises the path to beauty, revealed in Antonia’s nude forms — sculpted with rounded, refined lines in marble, preserving the energy and movement of the body. This sculpture becomes a bridge between beauty and reality, capable of evoking in the viewer the same emotions once felt by the artist.
In the adjoining suite, Antonia’s life intersects with that of Jacques Zwobada, a sculptor and friend of her husband, with whom she begins a passionate and intense relationship. Through his sculpture "Verticale", Zwobada portrays Antonia as an artistic muse. The work evokes the passion between the two lovers and the inner struggle caused by a feeling they could no longer control. In an expressionist style, the piece reflects the modern essence of human existence. Obsession, in this context, is the true emotion he felt — a love that was overwhelming, both physically and mentally, and beyond the grasp of reason.
The visit ends with a truly moving finale: thanks to 3D projection technology, one is able to immerse themselves in the life of the painter — from her childhood in Bari, to her years in Paris, to her intense and passionate relationships with both sculptors, and to the sculptures born from her beauty. The museum becomes not only a modern centre for contemporary art in Apulia, but also a sanctuary of rest and renewal for emerging artists.
I hope to see you again soon, and perhaps even arrange a visit together to this artistic haven in Lecce.
All the best,
Anastasia D’Arpe