Caprotti and supermarkets: James Hugh Angleton, father of James Jesus, 1960s

Among the most important art collectors who were also Brunelli's clients in those years was James Hugh Angleton, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy. Brunelli told me that Angleton had revealed to him Nelson Rockefeller's idea of studying the opening of a chain of supermarkets in Italy already during the exhibition on the "Settecento Veneziano" curated by Brunelli himself, and being the contact person for Rockefeller and his company IBEC in Italy he was sounding out the terrain in search of local partners willing to join the American magnate in the venture.

The Caprotti family, the birth of Esselunga and US counter-espionage: James Hugh and James Angleton

Film buffs who have seen Robert De Niro's 2006 film The Good Shepherd - The Shadow of Power may know that the main character, played by Matt Damon, is inspired by James James Angleton, one of the most legendary and controversial figures in American intelligence. However, the figure of James Hugh [Angleton], the father, is also of extreme interest ...

The Caprotti family and sport: uncles Ferruccio known as Illo and Ida Quintavalle, tennis, 1940s

Bruno and Adele Quintavalle's other children were also sportsmen, and at a high level: both Ferruccio, known as Illo, and Ida, grandmother Luisa Quintavalle's twin sister, were tennis champions at national level, and Ferruccio also internationally, reaching the Wimbledon Tournament and the Davis Cup. Once his competitive activities were over, Illo was the driving force behind the Autobianchi car company, which produced the legendary 'Bianchina'.

The Caprotti family: Uncle Giuseppe Caprotti, called Beppo Venosta, brother of my mother Giorgina Venosta

Uncle Giuseppe, known as Beppo, who appears in many photos as a child with my mother Giorgina, became a journalist, specialising in the Middle East and writing for important magazines such as 'Panorama', 'Il Mondo', 'Il Sole 24 Ore' and the Secolo XIX. He was also an original guy, like many in the family; unfortunately he passed away in 1999.