The Italian Van Gogh: A Soul Painted in Light and Shadow Mario Puccini, a name often whispered with reverence alongside the great masters of Post-Impressionism, remains one of the most poignant figures in the history of Italian art. Known hauntingly as "The Italian Van Gogh," his life was a turbulent tapestry of profound creative brilliance and devastating personal struggle. Born in 1869 in the coastal city of Livorno, Tuscany, Puccini’s beginnings were far removed from the gilded halls of academia; he was the son of a baker, spending his early years amidst the flour and warmth of his father…