In the painting “feste campestre in Sardegna” (rural celebrations in Sardinia, 1861), currently preserved in the national museum G.A.Sanna in Sassari, Giovanni Marghinotti offers us a glimpse of the life in 19th century in Sardinia, by taking us back in time and by making us relive one of the most felt moments of the time: the celebration of Saint Lussorio. The importance of this event was proven by the large turnout of people gathered at the sanctuary. In the painting, the people are depicted as dressed in traditional clothes that is typical of the different towns, enjoying the celebrations with dances followed by the sound of the drum and “de su sulittu”(traditional flute), eating and drinking, or just looking tenderly into each other’s eyes like the two lovers in the center of the room.

This picture captured from the past helps us to understand how the sanctuary was in its origin before the degradation and the transformations that happened in the following years after the painting. For instance, they are well visible on the right the counterfeiters, where Soro’s house currently stands, and the complete portico where only the arch remains today.