RE: Brera

["Michael S. Sweigart" <ms@domain.elided>]

On a hunch I typed in www.brera.com and this is how they explain the origin:

"Brera's name was inspired by Palazzo Brera in Milano - home to the
Accademia di Belle Arti, renowned throughout the world for its creativity,
and to the Art Gallery, celebrated for its collection of immense, enduring
value. "

As you know, if it's printed on the Internet, it is as good as news.

uh, yeah.

-Michael (still surviving dot commer)

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-alfa@domain.elided [mailto:owner-alfa@domain.elided]On Behalf Of
Pottree@domain.elided
Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 12:33 PM
To: alfa@domain.elided
Subject: Brera


In a message dated 4/16/2002 8:20:08 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:


> I found the choice of the
> Brera name fascinating, and breathtaking in its audacity; it is known to
me
> from "The Brera", the universally recognized shorthand for the Pinacotecca
> di
> Brera, the Brera Picture Gallery in Milan, (in a seventeenth-century
> palace)
> which undoubtedly gave the fashionable quarter its name. The Brera has
> Italy's
> finest collection of Renaissance paintings, the artwork of Italy's
> culturally
> most significant period and most significant artists;

I can't say if the Pinacotecca is named for the quarter or vice versa, but
the idea of the cultural supremacy of art and artfulness is what the whole
place is about, across the cultural spectrum and it is very exciting, in
fact, it is the heart and soul of the place, to me.  And I think that is the
feeling GG is shooting for with the show car using the Brera name.  But,
don't forget the women! (or, if you prefer, the men!).

About a block from the fabulous museum is a large art school and besides the
tourists and the models and photographers, the pedestrian street between the
two is choked with art students.  NB: it is on this very trendy street where
you can find the world's best gelato!  No visit to Milano could be completed
-- or even begun! -- without a stop for a scoop here!  Then, you can go on
to
the lesser places such as the Duomo, the Galleria, Biffi, La Scala (now
closed for four or five years renovation), the Last Supper, etc.

It is easy to be distracted by our own special interests, in this case cars
and particularly Alfas.  But if you can imagine for a moment that you had
another consuming passion, that would also likely see its Zenith in Milano,
and likely in Brera: it is also the world design capitol for furnishings,
eyeglasses, textiles, leather goods, and so much more, all sharing that
quality of forward design and exceptional craftsmanship that actually goes
back to the early days of Milano: that was THE place to go to get your suit
of armor made, to buy swords, cannon, daggers, etc. and that was where they
developed the most advanced metallurgy.  When you stroll through Brera it is
all seamless and apparent -- plus, the food's great!

If you saw a Brera Alfa parked there on the street, it would look exactly
right, in proportion and form it would go with the buildings, and all the
shiny planes would reflect the whirl of supermodels and art students and
gelato eaters.  You could say there are visual echoes of the Renaissance
paintings in the engine and the coachwork.  Magnifico!

Charlie
LA, CA, USA

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