N.006 - L’Ospedale delle prostitute

The story of a building in the Forcella district, dilapidated in appearance and fascinating in its past. In the heart of one of Naples' oldest neighbourhoods, historically also a red-light area, this palace has stood for over six centuries, built for a noble, forward-thinking mission: to shelter and care for women living on the streets and help them change their lives. It was dedicated to Santa Maria Egiziaca, who also gives the street its name. In Gaia Inserviente's illustration, the women who once lived in the hospital, and before that in the alleys of the Duchesca, are reborn: an ochre façade with deep blue doors and windows, climbed by large white and pink flowers. Inside the flowers, women's faces with red lips; in the lower left corner, barely visible, a small red symbol of care.