A stitch in time
Eugenio Zampighi captures a cozy, rustic moment in this charming genre scene, where an elderly couple shares a quiet laugh in their cottage kitchen. Surrounded by pecking chickens and a warm fireplace, the man—sporting a jaunty straw hat and bright blue stockings—has his arm affectionately draped over the woman as she busies herself with her sewing. The title playfully references the old proverb 'a stitch in time saves nine,' suggesting her mending habits are as reliable as their bond. Zampighi was a master at depicting these slice-of-life moments from rural Italy, bringing a sense of warmth and humor to everyday peasant life.