"Il Tarlo" is Italian for "the woodworm", an insect that feeds on wood. The same word in slang is often used to communicate a persistent thought or an obsession. Software programming, bocce and chess gaming, restoration of old watches and above all woodworking are among the past and present passions of the subject of this portrait.
Though some of these interests may appear very diverse, there is a thread that ties them all together: Francesco says that he wants to "make the brain work" and in every endeavor logic and calculation are fundamental operations. Even today, entering his tenth decade, Francesco works with wood in his workshop and from a corner in the room you can hear "il tarlo" slowly tapping.