The italians

In the early 1960s, internationally acclaimed photographer Bruno Barbey sought to capture with his camera the spirit of Italy. Here, his endearing modern commedia dell’arte of beggars, priests, nuns, carabinieri, prostitutes, and mafiosi— archetypal figures whose exotic charms helped to make the films of Pasolini, Visconti, and Fellini so popular—join with the subtle pen of best-selling novelist and essayist Tahar Ben Jelloun to reveal the essence of Italy in that period. The result is an evocative word-and-picture portrayal of the Italians.