THE PLACES
Cities and countryside
The landscape is a pulsing heart, ready to receive every breath of those who live in it: on this already painted canvas, Napoleon and his sister Élisa traced out, with wisdom and decisiveness, a new drawing, which in each case exalted, hid or transformed the pre–existing lines.
In the hard–working countryside of Tuscany and Liguria, skilfully registered by the officials of the Napoleonic cadastre, the two designed new roads that accelerated time and brought people together. In the cities they opened up airy piazzas, changing the perspective, refashioning entire quarters. The view is from above but not from afar: their urban transformations, entrusted to the best minds of the age, also became the symbol and sign of the attentive and involved presence of the sovereigns.
