From La Cappelletta to Il Quarto Stato: A weekend in Volpedo

Strolling among the paintings of an open-air exhibition, breathing in the landscape that had inspired the artist and being able to admire his works at every corner: Volpedo is one of the very rare places where it is possible to live such an experience. Indeed, it was right here that the painter Giuseppe Pellizza was born and worked with unbridled passion and deep love for his land; he wanted to add to his signature the words “da Volpedo” to bind his name indissolubly to his town.

We chose this small but famous municipality for a relaxing weekend, drawn by the painter's fame, and we discovered that his artistic intuition had made him perfectly understand the reasons why it is still beautiful to be in Volpedo: one is immersed in a tranquillity that, for those arriving from the frenetic metropolis, is priceless, the gaze can roam everywhere over green hills and countryside, in the town one discovers monuments and views steeped in history, not to mention the goodness of the local food and wine offering. Volpedo is in fact known, among other things, for its peaches with an intense and authentic aroma, which ripen, thanks to the careful choices of variety by the producers, over a particularly long period of time.

Wishing to do things in style, for our weekend we chose nothing less than a true Dimora, La Cappelletta, whose name is by no means coincidental: inside the Dimora there is a real little chapel, still consecrated. After settling into our rooms, refined and elegant, we go to visit it and are left open-mouthed: the chapel, dating from 1846 like the whole structure, has been excellently restored in respect of the La Spezia origin of its former owners, and maintains the Ligurian style, with white and black bands, a feature that in the Middle Ages was a symbol of nobility. Staying on religious ground, during one of our first walks we go to visit the famous Romanesque Parish Church of San Pietro, mentioned in documents as far back as the 10th century. Inside there are late fifteenth-century frescoes of great interest, probably the work of the Boxilio brothers of Castelnuovo Scrivia.

Among the historical curiosities of Volpedo, we also visit the 1st-century tombstone, today set into a side wall of the parish rectory. But without doubt the most famous place in Volpedo remains the Piazzetta Quarto Stato, opposite the Palazzo dei Malaspina, lords of the place against whom the peasant social struggles of the late nineteenth century were directed. This is precisely the setting of a painting that is a symbol of the 20th century, created in 1901 by Pellizza, from which the square took its name. “Il Quarto Stato”, originally called “Il cammino dei lavoratori”, depicts a strike, and in the painting, in the front line with the peasants marching towards the light, there is also a woman with a child in her arms.

Today the reproduction of the painting, placed in the square, is clearly the most important of that artistic itinerary which, starting ideally from the artist's studio, compares today's Volpedo with that of the painter's canvases. Moving from the pleasures of pictorial art to those of culinary art, we have no trouble choosing the place to dine: we go to the Ristorante La Palmana, at the Dimora where we are staying. We settle into the large, very elegant dining room where weddings and other events are also organised, and while some of us opt for the “Degustazione mare” and “Degustazione Piemontese” menus, the rest of the group chooses “à la carte” dishes. The high quality of the restaurant is guaranteed by the work of Chef Giuseppe Terno, also awarded the prestigious Premio Collegium Cocorum.

We begin with a rich traditional starter, with knife-point Piedmontese mutton tartare scented with truffle, mixed cold cuts of local salumi and the peccati di gola alla Piemontese. We continue with the tajarin with pieces of game and roe deer, the essential agnolotti of braised meat with butter and sage and the malfatti alla piemontese with natural cheese fondue. When choosing the main courses we can only opt for two delicacies renowned among these hills: the sliced fillet of Piedmontese fassone in a crust of aromas with rocket and toma, and the fillet of Piedmontese fassone with porcini mushrooms. We accompany our dinner with excellent wines selected from local and national labels, and conclude this day, spent in the name of the colours of art, with the sweet taste of the bonnet and the old-style castagnaccio. Some of our friends taste a harmony of strawberry and wild-berry sorbets.

We also taste a selection of cheeses with honey and jams. We will return to Pellizza's town also during the peach season, tasty and very fragrant, whose pastel colours recall a little the artist's paintings.

Francesca Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

Dimora La Cappelletta – Ristorante La Palmana Via della Clementina, 11 Volpedo (AL) 0131/806204