Capri's Dolce Vita

Capri, queen of rock,
in your dress
the colour of amaranth and lily
where lived,
experiencing
happiness and pain [...]

These are the words that open Chioma di Capri, the poem that Pablo Neruda dedicated to the jewel-island of the Mediterranean. Stuck on the rock in just ten square kilometres, Capri shines with a magical atmosphere: its cliffs, flowers, hidden terraces and boats moored alongside its imposing "Faraglioni" make a unique sight, which has always been a temptation for artists. Celebrated since the times of the Ancient Roman Empire, Capri has conquered everyone's heart: pirates, fishermen and movie stars. Over the years, the Mediterranean pearl, a symbol of dolce vita in the world, hosted some of the most important stars of the international jet-set, from Frank Sinatra to Grace Kelly, also winning the love of Oscar Wilde and Jackie Kennedy. In 1963, its magnificent landscape was even chosen by French director Jean-Luc Godard to shoot Le Mépris, with Brigitte Bardot and Michel Piccoli. More recently, Liberato also chose the island's landscape for the five videos of Capri Rendez-Vous, a tribute to the great Italian cinema directed by Francesco Lettieri. 

An icon in the world of Mediterranean aesthetics, made of crystalline seas, wooden boats, flowers and fresh fruit, even the world of fashion has not resisted its charm: in the past few years, the Isle served as the perfect backdrop to the unforgettable spot of Dolce & Gabbana's Light Blue Pour Homme perfume, but also of the latest Chanel's Balade en Méditerranée advertising campaign. No doubts, Capri still retains the same charm that thousands of years ago convinced Homer that it was the perfect place to set the famous episode of the Sirens in the Odyssey. 

The symbolic places of the island have become part of everyone's cultural heritage: the Faraglioni, Anacapri, the gardens of Augustus, the Blue Grotta, Villa Malaparte, up to the characteristic little downtown square that has seen so many stars parking their convertible. Among the hearts it has won, there is also that of Jean-Pascal Hesse, communication director of Pierre Cardin. To celebrate the Isle, Hesse has curated a book that is already a collector's item: Eternal Capri, a collection of photographs personally chosen by the author and taken by local photographer Umberto D'Aniello, enriched with anecdotes and secrets about the history of the island. The icing on the cake? The preface signed by Brigitte Bardot herself.

It was in the late spring of 1963, with Michel Piccoli, that I arrived on Capri to shoot some scenes for the film Jean-Luc Godard Le Mépris, under the gaze of the magnificent Vesuvius. Instantly I was entranced by the island’s warm, unreal light, its turquoise waves, its whitewashed houses rising from the waters – so blue and sparkling – of the Mediterranean. Its beauties helped me to forget the difficulties of the shooting and the constant harassment by photographers and journalists. [...] I remember the little winding streets through which we liked to wander, losing ourselves, carried away by the sheer joy of life on the island. Capri has soul. I loved immersing myself in it and tasting the delights of this island that stirs the senses, now as always, eternally.

Brigitte Bardot

For the more ambitious collectors, however, Aussoline, the publishing house specializing in books on architecture, art, design and fashion, has also republished the book, Capri Dolce Vita. The volume is available on the official website at a price of 95 €, as a part of an editorial series that also celebrates the beauty of the Amalfi Coast and other Mediterranean islands.