Gloeden, Wilhelm von (1856-1931) - n. 1579 verso

Pancrazio Buciunì was an Italian model, lover and heir of Wilhelm von Gloeden, a German photographer who settled in Sicily in the late nineteenth century. When Wilhelm von Gloeden arrived in the hilltop city of Taormina overlooking the Ionian Sea, he engaged the services of a local boy, Pancrazio Buciunì, named after Pancras of Taormina. The fourteen year old was already extremely handsome, with dark skin and large eyes. Von Gloeden nicknamed him "Il Moro" (The Moor) because of his Arabic heritage. Il Moro first became one of von Gloeden's models, then assistant, pupil and eventually lover. The couple were in love. The young Buciunì looked after von Gloeden when he was sick, administering medications, getting special food from townspeople, preparing the salt water baths that doctors prescribed. He also arranged for local youths to participate in the midnight parties von Gloeden threw for his guests.