The former Caffè Bardi was a notable coffee house and meeting place in the 19th through mid-20th century for artists and intellectuals in

Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 152,916 residents as of 2025. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn ...

, a region of

Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...

, Italy. The coffee-house no longer exists and stood at the corner of via Cairoli and Piazza Cavour. In

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

, Caffè Michelangiolo had played a role as a meeting place for painter of the

Macchiaioli The Macchiaioli () were a group of Italian painters active in Tuscany in the second half of the nineteenth century. They strayed from antiquated conventions taught by the Italian art academies, and did much of their painting outdoors in order ...

movement; in Livorno, in the first decades of the twentieth century, this coffee house played the equivalent role of the development of a local group of painters known as the Gruppo Labronico. Founded in 1908 by Ugo Bardi, the interiors of the coffee house were once populated by contemporary artworks, including works by Gino Romiti and Renato Natali since removed. One of the frequent early attendees was

Amedeo Modigliani Amedeo Clemente Modigliani (; ; 12 July 1884 – 24 January 1920) was an Italian painter and sculptor of the École de Paris who worked mainly in France. He is known for portraits and nudes in a modern art, modern style characterized by a surre ...

. There is a legend that Modigliani once brought one of his avant-garde sculptures to show to his friends, but their dislike caused him to bury them in a nearby ditch. The coffee house closed in 1921. Amedeo Modigliani probably attended the establishment during his trips to Livorno in 1909 and 1913.

References

Coffeehouses and cafés in Italy Buildings and structures in Livorno Restaurants established in 1908 1921 disestablishments in Italy Italian companies established in 1908 Restaurants disestablished in 1921 Defunct restaurants in Italy {{Restaurants in Italy

See also

References