Have you ever heard of travelling artists? Here they were called ‘pinse‘ and you can discover their history at the Spazio Pinse exhibition point, located in Celle di Macra in the hamlet of Chiesa. The space is set up near the parish church and offers visitors an overview of the tradition of itinerant painters active in the Maira Valley from the 15th to the 20th century.

In the Middle Ages, the Valley enjoyed a long period of autonomy and relative prosperity that allowed for a great development of the arts. The presence of the Marquisate of Saluzzo and the patronage of certain marquises attracted painters and craftsmen. In some cases, it was the community on the other hand, that commissioned works, some of which have come down to us.

The physical and cultural proximity to today’s French Midi favoured exchange, so some local painters provided their work across the Alps and vice versa, always in an itinerant form. The Spazio Pinse wants to give an insight into this activity and take you on a discovery of the local painters and artists who came to work in the Maira Valley. Are you ready to find out?

• Borgata Chiesa (Celle di Macra)

• How to visit the site

  Summer opening 2022 of the Anchovy Museum and Pinse space: July Sunday 3-10-17-24-31 August Sunday 7-14-21-28 + August 15th September Sunday 4 Opening hours: 2.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Special opening for guided tours of the parish church and Chapel of San Sebastiano on Saturdays: 18 June - 9 July - 16 July - 20 August - 10 September - 17 September opening times: 10 am - 1 pm For all other periods on request, call Augusto: (+39) 333 7167977 municipality of Celle 0171 999190 Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday times: 8-13 From October to May ask Locanda Maraman Oste de Seles 349 5326880 / 329 3219082