This is my Great-Grandmother, Rita Alessandri, in the early 1900s in Italy.

She was born into a noble Tuscan family. Even though I never met her, I’ve inherited a vivid image of her, through dozens of old photos.

Although she appeared conventional, she had a secret passion for spiritic sessions. My Granddad was sent to bed, but he used to spy her sessions!

She was obsessed with the composer Vincenzo Bellini, who was the former tenant of her beautiful villa on Lake Como. She believed Bellini’s ghost inhabited her villa.

She was a smoker before flappers made it fashionable, and she loved cars, motorboats, telephones and all domestic electrical appliances!

She was also an avid antifascist, who never hid her opposition of the regime.

But above all, she was extremely practical, completely devoted to her sons and incredibly in love with her husband for all of her life. ~shared by @the_lonely_goatherd