Art cafés are places where guests can have a coffee or ice-cream served while surrounded by works of art and design. Founded in the main Italian cities during the twentieth century, some are still open, others have ceased under the pressure of high rents and been replaced by more profitable commercial and tourist activities. Originally frequented by literates and artists, as well as by ordinary people, they are testament to a fading lifestyle.
The Caffè Dagnino, a bar-pastry shop housed within the Esedra Gallery in Rome, is the one featured in the photo. Built in the 1950s, it’s known for its graffiti in modernist and cubist styles and its Sicilian menu.
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