The Soul of the City: The Life and Legacy of Gregorio Prestopino In the vibrant, crowded streets of New York City’s Little Italy, a profound artistic vision began to take shape. Born in 1907 to Italian immigrants Antonino Prestopini and Letteria Rando, Gregorio Prestopino was destined to become one of the most poignant chroniclers of the American urban experience. His early years were marked by a precocious talent that earned him a scholarship to the prestigious National Academy of Design. It was here, under the mentorship of figures like Charles Hawthorne, that Prestopino developed a rigoro…