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Religious art and wall paintings: a hundred years ago Ernani Costantini was born 

He set up more than sixty exhibitions and won several awards and recognitions, he published four novels and many articles. He was deeply involved in the field of religious art, and he commissioned more than forty wall paintings, including the one on the Sacca Fisola island, Altobello, Marghera and some full cycle of the Via Crucis. A hundred years ago, in February 12, 1922, the Venetian painter Ernani Costantini was born and to celebrate his anniversary the Bevilacqua La Masa Institute presents, on Friday, January 14 at Palazzo Tito, the exhibition “Cento anni di Ernani'' (A Hundred Years of Ernani), a unique event included in the official celebrations for the 1600 years anniversary of the city of Venice. In the rooms of the Palazzetto Tito the whole artistic itinerary concerning Ernani will be presented: from its early works, including those dating back to the second half of the fifties, up to his last big canvas painted in 2005. An artistic journey that Ernani created within the cultural background of the 19th century, which he was very familiar with. From its early experiences with the “cubist” art movement, through its personal figurative period, to its latest works which have a very strong personal mark. Ernani works have an undeniably strong technique, at first impression they seem easy and enjoyable, but are absolutely complex in terms of their content and composition. The aim is to revitalize some of the painter's most beautiful works, coming from both private and public collections, and for a long time now no longer on public display. A unique occasion for young artists and art lovers to know better the significant artworks of this Venetian artist, which will hopefully raise up new comparisons with modern and contemporary art. 

Ernani was born in Venice in 1922, and here he lived and worked during his entire life until he passed away, in 2007. He graduated in 1942 at Venice School of Art, located at the Carmini, and there he studied with Ercole Sibellato, Mario Disertori, Giorgio Wenter and Giulio Lorenzetti. He served as a volunteer in the Italy Liberation War,in a unit attached to the 5th US Army. In the tough post-war period he worked as painter at the Scalera Film studios of Giudecca, and then as draughtsman for the Water Authority. In 1949 he became an art teacher and moved to Vittorio Veneto city, but just four years later he decided to move back to Venice, dedicating himself to painting and artistic production. 

We can find evidence of his commitment to the different field of art in his rich production of painting and in the several exhibitions he set up in different art galleries of Venice and around Italy, as well as abroad. He was deeply involved in the decoration of churches, especially those of Venice and its mainland, until his death in 2008. 

The exhibition can be visited until February 29, from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10.30AM to 5.30PM at Palazzo Tito, Dorsoduro 2826. 

For further information visit www.bevilacqualamasa.it

In Venice, the Società di Mutuo Soccorso dei Carpentieri e Calafati, a treasure trove guarding naval history 

Venice, December 20th, 2021 – Rusty pincers, wooden hacksaws, old tools originally used at the Arsenale of Venice, Regattas ancient flags dating back to the period that preceded the Unification of Italy and tiny models of ancient venetian boats. Part of the venetian naval history is hidden iin this tiny treasure trove where objects, stories and anecdotes tell the glorious naval past of Venice, which this year celebrates 1600 years from its foundation. This place, which is barely known, continues to preserve an important part of the history of this city, preventing the present from erasing the traces of our past. In the area of Castello, inside the building that used to host one of the seats of the Hospital San Giovanni e Paolo, there is the most ancient, although still active, venetian association, the Società di Mutuo Soccorso Carpentieri e Calafati. 

Established on April 1st, 1867, this society was the heir of the Scola picola dei Calafai de l’Arsenal, basically the school of workers specialised on naval constructions, whose status and values have been kept alive.

Today, as in the past, the Società di Mutuo Soccorso Carpentieri e Calafati of Venice, which maintains ancient hierarchical traditions for its own members, is regulated by the mariegola, a book of rules that the association has been owning since its establishment, marking a vital piece of its own history as well as the city’s. It is a unique volume which dates back to 1867 and it is preserved inside the actual seat of the society in San Pietro di Castello (the original version of the mariegola was sold to the Correr Museum in 1921). A very ancient book whose historical and philological value is priceless, and a book which gathers rules, names, and signatures of important historical characters who, throughout years, have become members of the venetian Association.

The mariegola of the Società di Mutuo Soccorso Carpentieri e Calafati of Venice can be admired and studied. It is guarded inside its original case, which can be considered as a real work of art. In venetian dialect it is called “cassea”, a priceless, rectangular wooden antiquity entirely decorated, which used to be used in several craft schools of the city as cases to guard every single mariegola. 

We just have to gently open it, and page after page we can stumble across a fascinating ancient handwriting, articles, rules, regulations and, glancing deeper, we can also touch ink traces left on paper by one of the most important characters of the Italian modern history: Giuseppe Garibaldi. He became an honorary member of the association on April 14th, 1867 whilst Pope John Paul I, member since April 3rd, 1977 and the former Mayor of Venice, Giuseppe Giovanelli, honorary member since 1969. In the mariegola there is also the signature of Umberto di Savoia, who used to be a honorary member of the Società dei Carpentieri e Calafati since May 27th, 1878. 

Once the Veneto region was included in the Kingdom of Italy, every ancient craft corporation of the Serenissima Republic, such as the one of the Carpentieri e Calafati, were abolished, precisely between 1806 and 1807 in the name of economic freedom, and all their belongings were sold to privates. This, though, did not stop some naval workers from bringing back to life these societies, especially in Venice.

So, on March 24th, 1867, in calle San Gioachin in San Pietro di Castello an assembly among those who exercised this profession in the dockyards and those who worked at the Arsenale, to establish a new Società di Mutuo Soccorso. One year after its creation, on August 30th, 1868, members of the association decided, unanimously, to abolish the original regulation, in order to create a new one. This decision was put in place in 1980, with the creation of a new set of rules which brought about a great change for this association: the acceptance of any working category, regardless of gender. At the end of the 1990s, once the new reform of the social security system entered into force, the third regulation was approved.

Two years after its establishment, one of the members of the Società di Mutuo Soccorso Carpentieri e Calafati of Venice r Giuseppe Tonello, donated to the society its own dockyard of San Isepo, located along the fondamenta of San Pietro di Castello.

In addition to the dockyard, the association acquired several other properties through the years, such as flats, warehouses and objects related to traditional shipbuilding, without never leaving aside its real objective: passing on and preserving the venetian flourishing naval expertise. 

Today, 1600 years after the foundation of the city where the Società di Mutuo Soccorso dei Carpentieri e Calafati of Venice is located, the aim for which it has been established continues to be perpetrated, by preserving tools, proofs of the past and by developing new cultural projects to spread naval culture and avoid losing traces of a craftsmanship that made Venice famous worldwide. 

 

“Casanova pop opera”:  a musical to celebrate the 1600 years of Venice, based on the history of the well-known adventurer 

Venice, November 23, 2021- A project born from the desire to let Venice have its own musical. In this way was born “Casanova opera pop”, a musical created and produced by Red Canzian, which will be presented in January on national preview, at the Teatro Malibran as a tribute to Venice and its 1600 years of history. Two hours of still unreleased music and 21 performers, chosen among actors/ singers and acrobatic dancers, to give back life to the beloved Venetians adventurer, one of the most popular and controversial characters of all time.  

“On birthdays we usually make presents, and on the occasion of the 1600 years of Venice I decided to write this musical as a gift to this wonderful and unique city. Although being an incredible city, so far Venice was the only one not having its own musical, and now it has one- says the singer and composer, who was born in Treviso- This is the fictionalized story of Casanova, even if I truly believe his life was not just a novel. A really significant show, where the public will be fully immersed in 1755 Venice. We created the images that will be projected on the screen during the show, and there the whole story will take place, while actors move, sing, and dance live on stage”.  The tour will start on January 21st from Venice, and then will move to the Teatro Crebert, in Bergamo, Teatro Nuovo Giovanni in Udine, Teatro Arcimboldi in Milan, Teatro Comunale Mario del Monaco in Treviso, and Teatro Alfieri in Turin. 

“There will be thirty performances overall - explains Canzian,  and no more. Since theaters have been closed for almost two years, due to the health emergency, it was almost impossible to find available spaces. We believe that thirty performances are enough to make our show famous, because Venice must be brought all around the world. We have people travelling from all over the world to come and visit Venice, and we will bring this city into their hometowns. We will take it to Seoul, China, Russia, USA, South America, and of course Europe. I believe it will be a great way to promote a place that we are used to defining  “wonderful” but that actually is even a bit more than that”. 

Based on Matteo Strukul’s best seller, “Giacomo Casanova- La sonata dei cuori infranti”, an historical novel released in 2018 and translated into over ten languages, “Casanova opera pop” investigate in a new different way Casanova during its golden years, at the age of 35, just after his return from the exile, while defending Venice from the power games it was living in that period. “Casanova has always fascinated me, and I think he was always unfairly represented just in his attitude of latin lover and nothing more- says the artist, who joined the historic Pooh band in 1973- he was a philosopher, a chemist, a linguist, an expert on the cabala, much desired by all the great European courts, a close friend of Madame de Pompadour. My own Casanova is a superhero that kids will love, who desperately falls in love with a 19-year-old girl for whom he questions his whole life. He is a very romanticCasanova”.

Directed by Emanuele Gamba, the musical was conceived in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We rehearsed in a period during which no one knew if theaters would have shortly opened again. Everyone suggested us to stop- says Canzian- but my wife Beatrix Niederwieser and I, the producers of this work that in the end became a huge project, decided to keep going on and bring this show on stage, because Venice deserved it. As my wife rightly says we consider it like our third son”. 

Behind Canzian during this journey, a team of national and international professional, like Milo Manara, who realized the musical’s artwork, the Fenice’s theater staging director Massimo Checchetto for the scenic design, Fabio Berettin for the lights effects, Desirèe Costanzo as styler and Stefano Nicolao’s Venetian atelier which took care of the 120 costumes. The designer Gian Pietro Muraro, together with the “Politecnico calzaturiero del Brenta”, realized the footwear. 

“We were looking for the best quality and I think, in the end, good music was produced. The songs were written at the very last minute, as well as the idea of including them into the show- says Canzian- we then had the possibility to shoot an empty Venice during the pandemic. The greatest difficulty was to find characters matching with those I created in my imagination, but even on this point we had succeeded. My Casanova is powerful, is open minded,  and is not a cheater. He’s positive, he opens his arms while singing “Venezia amore mio”, is a man that is ready to do anything to save his city. All the story and the show is filled with love, and in fact our motto is: it's time to fall in love. And so which better occasion than Venice and the “Casanova opera pop” to rediscover this need and desire”. 

A cycle of meetings at the “Ateneo Veneto” to celebrate and remember the main stages of Serenissima 1600 years long history

Wars, battles, revolutions, victories and defeats: all the most important moments of Venice history, since the 13th century up to the 19th century, became the main characters of this cycle of meetings, all organized by the Ateneo Veneto during the celebrations of Venice 1600th anniversary. The purpose is to investigate and remember the history of the city in a new and different way. 

Every Wednesday, from January 12 to February 2, starting from 5.30 PM in the Aula Magna of the Ateneo Veneto, in Campo San Fantin, will take place “Storie di Venezia- Guerre, battaglie, rivoluzioni: 1204, 1509, 1571, 1797, 1848” (Venice Stories- Wars, battles, and revolutions:1204, 1509, 1571, 1797, 1848). Alberto Viggiano, of the University of Padua, will lead a number of lessons during which scholars and experts will embark the public on a path of knowledge among the most important phases of Venice history and all the territories touched by its economic, political and military power. 

Each lesson will focus on one, or more, specific crucial year in Venice's social, political and cultural evolution, showing some of the most important turning points in its history. 

The fall of Constantinople, during the Fourth Crusade, Venice greatest expansion in 1204, the Battle of Agnadello during the Italian Wars, the lost for Venetians of their mainland territories which they had conquered since the 14th century, the win in the Battle of Lepanto, one the mayor event in the history of the conflict with the Ottoman Empire for the control over the Mediterranean, the end of the “Aristocratic Republic” with the establishment of the democratic municipality of the city in 1797, and the democratic revolution. All these will be taken into account during the meetings. 

Lessons will be open to the public free of charge subject to availability, EU digital COVID certificate is required as well as wearing a mask. It will all start on January 12 with an introduction by Director Alfredo Viggiano (University of Padua), followed by Giorgio Tagliaferro (Warwik University) speech on “Constantinople 1204”. On Wednesday, January 19, will be the turn of Luciano Pezzolo (Ca’ Foscari University) with its report about “Agnadello 1509”, and then on Wednesday, January 26, Walter Panciera (University of Padua) will talk about “Lepanto 1571”. Last but not least, on Wednesday February 2, Michele Gottardi (Ateneo Veneto) will lead the meeting concerning the main events of 1797 and 1848. 

Lessons will be later available on the YouTube channel of the Ateneo Veneto. 

To celebrate the Serenissima 1600 years, the Casa del Cinema of Venice is to organise events to honour the deep bond between the city and the art of filmmaking 

Cinema in Venice and Venice on the screen. Masterpieces, movies that reported on the screen the history of the city that since 1932 has been invading the cinema halls of the Lido di Venezia with its world premieres and local production that, still today, continue to tell the story and the beauty of a city whose story is 1600 years long. It is precisely on this important occasion that the Casa del Cinema of Venice will organise, in partnership with the cultural department of the Municipality of Venice and the Circuito Cinema, a set of meetings, which will materialise into an imaginary journey carried out by experts of this field that will take the public through the discovery of the deep and ancient bond between the Serenissima and the art of filmmaking. 

From January 12th to February 16th, every Wednesday at 5pm, at the Casa del Cinema on the ground floor of Palazzo Mocenigo in San Stae, Mario Isnenghi, Carlo Montanaro, Gian Piero Brunetta, Michele Gottardi, Paolo Lughi, Marco Caberlotto e Lucio Scarpa will take part to debates that will go through the story of Venice, the story of the city as film set, the origins of filmmaking, the story of the Venice Film Festival and thoughts over the contemporary cinematography and the venetian movie sets. 

As a matter of fact, Venice welcomes the art of filmmaking: its architecture, its charm, and its beauty, through decades have offered countless ideas to transform the tiny calli, canals and campielli into a movie set en plein air. For the first time in history, on October 25th, 1986, the Grand Canal became part of a movie scene. It was Alexandre Promio, the director who decided to use the Grand Canal as a set for the scene of the short film “Panorama du grand Canal pris d’un bateau”. Since then, it has attracted thousands of global known film directors who have chosen Venice as the setting of their movies, many of which have marked the history of filmmaking. Today, according to experts, there are about seven hundred movies set in the city, some of which has been considered as real masterpieces, such as “Senso” by Luchino Visconti, “Giulietta e Romeo'' by Castellani, the unforgettable “Venezia, la luna e tu” by Dino Risi and’“Anonimo veneziano” by Enrico Maria Salerno.

The program provides an event every Wednesday from January 12th to February 16th, where people will talk about “Una storia senza memoria”, “Prima dei Lumière, verso il cinema come spettacolo collettivo”, “Una storia del cinema a Venezia”, “La Scalera Film a Venezia”, “1932-2022: 90 anni di Festival” and “Produrre e distribuire a Venezia, l’esempio di Kublai Film”. 

Admission is free in accordance with seats availability.

Booking is recommended at www.culturavenezia.it/cinema

 

In St. Mark’s Square among astrological, alchemical and mythological references in order to depict the history of the Serenissima

Stars, zodiac signs, horoscope: just by observing the sky has always raised curiosity and fascination in the human being. Especially, great interest was raised in Venetian citizens and professional sailors, who has always dealt with the effect of the stars upon the tide. St. Mark’s Square was the political and religious centre of Venice over its 1600 years. The stones and bronzes hide numerous astrological, alchemical, and mythological references. The Doges Palace, the Basilica and the Clock Tower tell histories of divinities and zodiac signs. Besides, they hide the old faith in stars, which survived the end of the paganism and became part of the medieval culture, condemned by Christianity though.

As the tour guide Manuel Meneghel tells, the most important place of the portico of the Doges Palace is the column on the corner. Her capital is dedicated to astrology. The Tetrabiblos by Tolomeo is a transposition made of marble of the masterpiece of the classical astrology telling the influence of the planets upon each zodiac sign they are governing. “Every zodiac sign has two locations: one dedicated to daytime and one to night. The capital helps us understand the importance of classical astrology during the Middle Age and the next centuries – Meneghel explains – Planets are represented like ancient pagan gods, but contextualised in the era in which they have been realised, the Middle Age. Jupiter was represented as the god of the sky (or “sky father”) in the classical iconography and, later, he turned into a Medieval Lord. Jupiter becomes a warrior who has just came back from a Crusade, and so on”. 

However, the capital in the corner is not the only one. There are 36 capitals dedicated to astrological charts. One of them describes the influences of the planets on human age and is located again in the portico of the Doges Palace. Indeed, planets have been influencing both every single Zodiac sign and the entire humanity, over historical eras. Here, seven are the planets represented, despite the sides of the bas relief are eight: “The latter represents death due to sins – Meneghel underlines  – it was the balance between the astrological concept of predestination and the concept of free will belonging to the Christian culture: the influence of the planets over human life exists, but what really matters is the importance of the universal judgment in the moment of death”. 

Close to Piazza San Marco, the facade of the Chruch of San Giuliano, “San Zulian” in Venetian, tells us about astrology through the representation by the philologist Tommaso Rangone: he is represented by holding his astrological chart on one hand, while a globe appears behind him by showing the constellations and a Greek inscription celebrating his merits as a researcher of the cosmos. 

Astrology is also present in the facade of the St. Mark’s Basilica: on the second arch, the representations of the months appear by decorating the central door, in the intrados. In between the months the Zodiac signs are inserted by marking the pass of the year. They are also placed in the clock face of the Clock in the Square. The Clock Tower is an incredible engineering masterpiece: the clock face results more simplified in comparison with the one belonging to 1499, because it has been telling the position of the five planets known at that time, beyond of the Sun in the Zodiac. “Today, the Clock tells the Sun’s and Moon’s passage in the Zodiac – Meneghel goes on – instead, in the moment of its realisation, five planets more were present in it, in order to see the overall astrological chart and to make it useful to calculate all the possible influences. For instance, there was a tradition: when a Pope was born, its astrological theme was used to be studied so as to predict the development of his his papacy and of the kingdom”.

Even today, as then, the Clock continues to mark punctually life and time of Venice passing inexorably in one direction: the progress of the most advanced city in the world. 

 

 

 

 

At Palazzo Corner Mocenigo, nativity scenes created by the Guardia di Finanza police officers are displayed 

Venice, January 3rd, 2022 – One is set in a tiny little Venice, one is made of biscuits whilst, in addition to the typical nativity scenes, statues representing the Guardia di Finanza police officers wearing their uniform are included.  These nativity scenes are displayed at the exhibition of Palazzo Corner Mocenigo, which is the seat of the Regional Command of the Guardia di Finanza.  In the year of its most important anniversary, the 1600 years from its foundation, the exhibition allows visitors to admire the creativity and expertise of venetian craftsmen, soldiers and enthusiasts who have contributed to realise these tiny works of art. Here, inside the rooms of this historical palace in Campo San Polo, these tiny landscapes are displayed. Built by people who love Christmas and know how to put together imagination and manual skills to realise these views, every character, every place, and every scene recreated have a reason to be there, from shepherds, farmers who feed their animals, ladies who dries their clothes to butchers preparing to sell products inside their own shops.

This fascinating exhibition, in which several works of art are represented, is owned by the Guardia di Finanza (Italian law enforcement agency) police officers, collectors and private enthusiasts, offering the opportunity to admire not only the traditional composition created by venetian artists, but also luxurious dioramas. 

The exhibition begins in the first rooms of the Regional Command of the Guardia di Finanza, which hosts nativity scenes kept inside glass cases, aiming at recreating the typical landscapes that usually host nativity scenes. The very same room also hosts other works of art, such as the one of Lisa Righi, a nativity scene made of biscuits, or again, an exhibition of ancient toy soldiers. Nevertheless, the most astonishing piece displayed is the nativity scene set in a tiny little Venice where Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus are laid at the feet of the Basilica della Salute and are surrounded by the magic atmosphere of historical palaces that rise upon venetian waters. Developed by General Bruno Buratti, this gem of the venetian craftsmanship every year enriched itself with new pieces that are realised by the greatest artisans of the city. Inside the second room of the exhibition, other representations of the nativity scenes are displayed. From the most classic examples to the most original ones, from the tiniest to the ones able to recreate huge landscapes of the nativity scene. Moreover, a very special nativity, which combines the magic of the nativity and the history of the palace, including some shepherds wearing the historical Guardia di Finanza uniform, is displayed. 

The nativity scenes exhibition, curated by the Regional Command, in partnership with the Association “Amici dei Presepi Spinea” (Friends of the Nativity Scenes of Spinea) has been realised in relation to the exhibition “I Presepi nella Terra dei Tiepolo” (Nativity Scenes in the Land of Tiepolo), which this year celebrates the eight edition. The admission is free until January 6th, 2022, according to these timetables:

 

  • On working days: from 10am to 12am
  • On Saturdays and holidays: from 10am to 1pm and from 2pm to 4pm

 

To know more: www.palazzocornermocenigo.it

 

Epiphany comes with the Three Wise Men parade at Saint Mark’s Square Bell Tower 

Venice, 4th January 2022 – To see them is a rare event, as tells the story. In Venice, the Three Wise Men are represented with statues marking the 12 hours from Saint Mark’s bell tower: a slow parade that began in the 1500s and that has been included in the celebrations for the 1600 years of the city of Venice. To admire the work of art that announces the Epiphany, people have to be in Saint Mark’s Square twice a year: at 12 o'clock on January 6th or on the Ascension Day, looking up and watching one of the most famous architectural signs of the city. The tower, with its huge astronomical clock, is a masterpiece that, since the 1500s, has marked the life, the history, and the passing of time. 

There are wooden mechanical statues, such as an angel playing the trumpets and the Three Wise Men, moving mechanically through a semi-circular platform placed above the dial. Statues come out from the hour panel, passing in front of the Virgin with the Child and going back inside the Tower through the side panel of minutes, which is placed on the opposite side of the clock. These are not the original statues that were built 1499, but just copies, that date back to 1755 made by Giobatta Alviero.

In 1499, the Bell Tower, the Three Wise Men and the angel with the trumpets were made to come out at any hour from the loggia on the second floor, and parade in front of the Virgin with the baby. Nevertheless, the delicate complexity of the mechanism and its exploitation led to limit the frequency of the Three Wise Men parade. Once the new machine was created, and the device of the parade Bartolomeo Ferracina was developed, the Three Wise Men were placed back by means of the same mechanism used today, on the occasion of the Epiphany and the Ascension Day.

At the time of the Serenissima Republic, the time of the year between Christmas and the Epiphany did not mark the beginning of a new year. Actually, the new year began on March 1st, according to the ancient Roman calendar. Until 1797, in the Venetian State territories, the calculation of days in the calendar was made according to the venetian use (“More Veneto '' venetians used to say). Moreover, dates used to be shortened with capital letters “MV”. On the day of the Epiphany, the Doge used to participate in the religious ceremony of Saint Mark’s. Outside the Basilica, children gathered, waiting to join the parade towards San Zaccaria, where nuns used to open the doors of the monastery providing children with sweets, marzipan and donuts. A tradition that never has got lostbut that has adjusted to modern times: in the 1600s and in the 1700s, shops used to be filled with sweets, fruit baskets, food and toys. They say that patricians used to love this tradition. As a matter of fact, the Labia family of the San Geremia contrada was the first one that thought about donating toys, sweets and fruit to children. After that, the Contarini’s, the Michiel’s, the Mocenigo’s, the Piovene’s and the Pisani’s followed their example, carrying on with the city’s tradition. 

Epiphany in Venice is also represented by a special old lady: the Marantega, a name that comes from the Latin, meaning Mater Antiqua. Indeed, today they are known as the Befane Maranteghe, that every year, on January 6throw along the Grand Canal for the traditional Regatta organised by the Canottieri Bucintoro. Regatta that this year will reach its 43° edition. This is one of the most awaited events in the city. The competition will see 5 men facing each other, wearing traditional costumes, each one of them in their own mascareta (typical boat) with their broom. 

The Naval School Morosini continues to write the story of Venice, the queen of the seas, by renovating its motto

Venezia, November 17th, 2021 – Wake up at 6 o’ clock, breakfast, flag raising ceremony and then straight to class for the first lessons of the day. Study, training, and sacrifice. Individual and teamwork. Studying at the Naval Military School Francesco Morosini means to be involved in an essential part of the modern history of the city of Venice that this year, celebrates 1600 years from its foundation. From teen-agers to cadet, from guys wearing jeans and t-shirt to little women and men in uniform. It takes courage, determination, and a great sense of duty to become a pupil here, at the Morosini of Venice and to keep on writing the story of one of the symbols of the city, underlying the ancient motto of Venice, the queen of the seas.

Originally part of the Arsenale of Venice, this school trains boys and girls, from 16 to 18 years old and it aims at teaching to its pupils the love for classic and scientific culture as well as athletic attitude, whilst enforcing their passion for the sea, the same passion that one day will make them the representants of this world at a local and national level.

This is how Venice, a city born in the sea keeps its essence alive, after 1600 years. “Our fate was and will always be the sea” says the Morosini moto. The school, as the city, keeps on pursuing the same goal, focused on the idea of sharing, coexistence, and love for the sea.

It is precisely for this reason that the venetian naval school located in Sant’Elena chose to open its doors to the public, with an event that aims at sensibilizing citizens by explaining them, through pupils’ experience, new aspects of an educational military path entirely dedicated to a life at sea.

Passing the torch as in a 40-minute relay race, Morosini pupils will show, in a short stage tour, their lives inside the school, their work of art guarder within the institute and the history of the place that will host them in their last three years of second grade school.

On Sunday November 20th, 2021, the Naval Military School Francesco Morosini organizes an open day from 14.30 to 17.30 for everyone who wants to discover the historical and artistic heritage of Sant’Elena.

Tiny groups of enthusiasts, would-be cadets or just curious, could live a thrilling experience that will take them to the discovery of a place that doesn’t open its doors to the public so often. Pupils will welcome visitors with short historical and artistic facts about the school in which they will attend their last three years of high school following two easy rules: training and study. From the story of the lion that protects the entrance of the institute, to the first brick of the school placed in 1935, taken as a symbol from the ancient Arsenale (dockyard) of Venice to underline the connection between the school and the dockyard to the bombings of the First World War. Moreover, Hugo Pratt drawings, precious mineral collections, unknown paintings of the 1700s representing the victories of Francesco Morosini, mosaics representing the Roman Empire and the Italian Empire are displayed. To these treasures, the fascinating story of women entrance in the institute, which dates to 2009, can also be admired.

The initiative was developed in partnership with the Committee for the valorisation of the historical-artistic heritage of the Naval School, supported by the Municipality of Venice.

People can book the entrance sending an email to snmfmorosini@gmail.com. To have access to the institute, the green pass is mandatory. Moreover, along the visit, face mask must be worn.

Built in Venice by Nino Giuponi the first wooden galleons used for the Palio of the Ancient Maritime Republics

Venice, December 13th, 2021 – The story begins in Venice, and the ancient art of building boats is its main character. An art that has guaranteed Venice a dominant position for centuries, and an art that the Serenissima Republic had passed through generations.

Venetians were the hands that built them in 1955. The four original galleons for the Palio of the Ancient Maritime Republics – that will take place on Sunday, December 19th in Genoa – were designed and built by Giovanni Giuponi, recalling the figure of the ancient galleys. Made in wood by Giuponi, from the Cooperativa Gondolieri di Venezia (Venice Gondoliers Cooperative), were launched on June 9th, 1956, along the Riva dei Giardini Reali. An essential moment for Venice with the boat blessing by the Patriarch of Venice, Angelo Roncalli who, after two years, was elected as Pope Giovanni XXIII. The boats cost 3.566.000 lire, and the rows 8.000 lire each.

Giuponi had been the owner of a tiny boatyard, located along the rio del ponte piccolo, on Giudecca Island until his death in 1987, at 91 years old. Here, “Nino” used to work as a “squerariolo” (boat builder) according to the ancient methods and traditions. He could build boats of every shape and size. Nino squerariol – as he used to be called – was an experimenter in this field, able to develop and apply new technical solutions and new materials, without leaving aside the tradition learnt in his youth. In 1985, he decided to write a detailed manual describing the different stages that characterised the construction of a gondola, interrupting the tradition of teaching the methods and the knowledge from father to son and from master to worker. Giuponi began to work in 1920, learning this art from his father, in the boatyard of l’Arzere all’Angelo Raffaele. From 1951 to 1965, he used to work first at the dockyard in rio de le Toreselle – which doesn’t exist anymore –, later at the Ognissanti and eventually at the San Trovaso dockyard as site manager of the Cooperativa Daniele Manin (Daniele Manin Cooperative). At the end of his career, he decided to work at his own dockyard in Giudecca Island. Throughout his career, he had built every kind of boat: the “Disdotòna” at the Querini, a 18-oars boat, or the “Carpaccesca”, a gondola represented in Carpaccio’s paintings. Giuponi was the creator of the four galleons used for the Palio of the Ancient Maritime Republics. After that, in 1983, the ancient wooden boats were substituted with modern galleons in fibreglass.

Today as in the past, the boats that compete against each other host eight rowers and a helmsman and stand out in the colours and beautiful figureheads: the venetian lion, recalling the patron saint of the city, St. Mark; the winged horse of Amalfi; the dragon of Genoa, who recalls the patron saint, St. George; the eagle of Pisa, representing the ancient bond between the Republic and the Holy Roman Empire. The figurehead that will cross the finish line first, will win the trophy in gold and silver made by the Florentine Goldsmith School, representing a galleon supported by four hippocampus and the crests of the Four Republics. The trophy will be held by the winning city for one year and could be won again the following year.

The Palio of the Ancient Maritime Republics will take place under the eye of the President of the Italian Republic. Every year, it is hosted in one of the four cities that participate in the competition. The Regatta is usually preceded by an historical parade where people wearing traditional costumes and representing different historical characters of each republic, parade.

Venice is represented by Caterina Cornaro, the queen that donated Cyprus to the Republica Serenissima and returned to her mainland as the “favourite venetian daughter”. The huge standard opens the venetian parade followed by two noblemen, six trumpeters and four drummers. Later, a group of eight noblemen held a flag of Saint Mark’s which dates to 1177, when Pope Alessandro III gave them to Venice as a sign of the recognized authority and dominion of the Republic on Saint Mark’s. Once the noblemen pass, it’s time for the Senators of the Serenissima, with an assistant carrying a red velvet pillow upon which a headgear of the Doge lies. The Doge, wearing a tunic and a long red and gold cloak, also has the typical ducal horn on his head. Four ambassadors from the East and eight ladies follow Caterina Cornaro, who is carried by eight slaves. The sovereign is joined by six members of the Cypriot delegation. The parade is closed by a “sea captain” who controls over some armed slaves.

Christmas in Venice: an itinerary to discover the most beautiful nativity scenes in the city centre and in the mainland

Venice, December 28th, 2021 – You can find it there, between apses, central naves, and main altars of venetian churches. These are nativity scenes, traditional representations that decorate Venetian churches filling them with the magic of Christmas through tiny statues, lights, shepherds, and snowy landscapes. Anyone can see them following a unique itinerary that goes through the city and its main churches. A fascinating journey that includes the most beautiful churches of the city in the year in which Venice celebrates its 1600 years of life. Traditional, innovative, made of marble or drywall, with or without moving statues, venetian nativity scenes tell a story in their own way, using the unusual nature of a city that has always relied on water. What you have here is a journey, a unique itinerary to discover some of the most beautiful nativity scenes of the city. To see them means to find a warm, welcoming, and familiar atmosphere.

Our journey begins by water, from the main centre of the Venetian lagoon that welcomes one of the most evocative nativity scenes of the city: the floating nativity of Burano. This is a nativity scene that embraces the sea, a project developed by a greengrocer fond of art, Francesco Orazio, who chose to decorate the waters of the venetian lagoon by creating a unique nativity scene on water. Sixty figures that come out, fixed on wooden stakes, and anchored on the bottom. An extraordinary composition that mirrors on water, right in front of the old fish market of Burano and that, at every hour of the day, takes on a different colour. An innovative point of view which corresponds to the essence of the city.

The little village of Campalto has also chosen water as the main location for its nativity scene. Floating on a raft placed on the Punta Passo Campalto dock, the nativity scene can be visited until January 6th, 2022. An original project, developed by the Associazione Civica Culturale Pro Campalto (Cultural and Civic Association Pro Campalto). Following our itinerary in the mainland, here in Mestre, there is the long-awaited nativity scene realised by the Capuchin friars. A traditional nativity scene, hosted in one of the altars of the church. In Carpenedo, inside the church of Ss. Gervasio and Protasio, the scene is dominated by the Virgin Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, while around there is the whole village moving under the light of the Comet that lightens the way to the Three Wise Men. In Marghera, the churches of San Pio X and Sant’Antonio have recreated traditional nativity scenes with the aim of enhancing the message of Christianity.

Very original are instead the nativity scenes that can be found in Venice. Inside the church of San Zaccaria, in Castello. Here, tradition meets innovation, resulting in a nativity scene that has as key points creativity and sustainability. A shelter - made with bubble wrap that reflect lights - welcoming the Virgin Mary, Joseph, the ox, the donkey, and Baby Jesus in a natural landscape characterised by mountains, wooden houses and tiny statues representing traditional nativity scene characters. Developed by Alberta Baldan and Luisa Becchi who aimed at creating a nativity scene by using recycled objects only, this unique scene has been created on the right side of the church main altar.

Here in Castello, a nativity scene en plein air can also be admired. It is in via Garibaldi, and it floats inside a traditional venetian boat called “vipera” (viper), a boat that is characterised by a double bow. This boat is owned by the Remiera Casteo and by the Società di Mutuo Soccorso Carpentieri e Calafati, that together share its property. Inside the boat, a nativity scene has been set up by means of plywood panels representing the nativity that acquires a purely venetian character.

Inside the Basilica di San Pietro di Castello we can admire another nativity scene which can be defined as the most traditional one. Long-awaited by venetians who live nearby, this nativity scene is located on the left side of the nave of the church. The most typical area of Venice also gives people the opportunity to admire other wonderful nativity scenes in other churches, such as the one realised by a student and located in the main altar of the church of San Martino or again, the one located in the church of San Francesco di Paola.

The pursuit of the most beautiful nativity scene in Venice continues by moving towards another area of Venice: Dorsoduro, with a new gem to be discovered: the nativity scene at the Gesuati church in Zattere.  It is a creative reinterpretation of the venetian landscape with houses, palaces and mountains made of cardboard. Former police officer Sergio Molin has been building this nativity scene for 14 years now. Every year a new innovative landscape, although in the background there has always been Venice. This year, the nativity scene of the Gesuati has been titled as “Ruga Sant’Isepo”, and it is dedicated to this biblical character in the years in which it was celebrated. Here in Dorsoduro, we can also find two other nativity scenes, part of the tradition, hosted in the churches of San Trovaso and Carmini.

The magic of the nativity scene can also be found in Cannaregio, where two breathtaking nativity scenes are located: inside the church of San Giovanni Grisostomo and in the one of Santi Apostoli.

Strolling along San Marco area, we stumble across the nativity scene inside the church of San Salvador that welcomes the birth of Jesus in a wooden hut surrounded by a natural landscape. In this very same area, we can also admire the nativity scene inside the church of Santo Stefano, framed by a wreath of pine needles, palm trees and a hut in tree bark.

Among all these nativity scenes though, there is one that stands out, and is in the San Polo area, inside the Basilica dei Frari. It is an original representation of the nativity realised by Father Sergio Zanchin who every year chooses among the most beautiful statues representing shepherds, farmers, fishermen, millers, shoemakers, blacksmiths, and potters included in this astonishing landscape which represent the real essence of Christmas.

 

Every 1st of January, the New Year’s Venice Concert celebrates the rebirth of La Fenice Theatre

Venice, December 29th, 2021 – In 2004, eight years after the fire that destroyed La Fenice Theatre on January 26th, 1996, it was decided that on New Year’s Day, a concert representing a symbolic rebirth of the Theatre will have always been played. A concert that, through the years, has become a venetian tradition. It was Anna Elena Averardi, advisor for the image of the theatre who had this idea, which was welcomed by Fabrizio del Noce who at that time used to be the director of Rai 1.

Every year since 2004, on New Year’s Day, a concert involving the orchestra and La Fenice choir enters the living rooms of thousands of people. Venice's choice to have a New Year’s Concert could be defined as risky since the New Year’s musical event is connected to the one that takes place in Vienna. An event that dates back to 1939, when Clemens Krauss, the director of the Philharmonic in the Austrian capital, dedicated the first concert to the opera by Johann Strauss son, in the golden room of the Musikverein. From that time on, also thanks to the astonishing composition as “The Beautiful Blue Danube” and the "Radetzky March”, the concert makes people forget about the war and the Nazi occupation of Austria, enchanting the whole world.

Nevertheless, the will of Venice was rooted into a desire for the rebirth of the Theatre, in order to begin again from the ashes of the fire of a Phoenix that had been flying high in the global scene of music since centuries, hosting stars such as Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini, Verdi, Puccini and Mascagni.

Centuries of history that, in a winter evening of 1996, were about to be erased by an arson at the top floor of the theatre. A fire that, after just 8 years, had been completely forgotten thanks to the great restoration works of a city that wanted to have its Theatre back as it used to be. Therefore, the New Year’s Concert is a celebration for its rebirth.

Among the curiosities, the Concert of 2011 was dedicated to celebrate the 150 years anniversary of the unification of Italy (for the occasion “Il canto degli italiani” was played) whilst the concert of 2013 was entirely dedicated to the musics of Giuseppe Verdi, to celebrate 200 years from his birth. The concert of January 1st 2021, that will take place during the celebrations for Venice 1600 years, will have as conductor Fabio Luisi who, according to the tradition, will provide a music program divided in two parts. The first one will be dedicated to music instruments while the second one will be dedicated to the opera with duets and choral steps interpreted by soloists of absolute prestige and the Chorus of the Teatro La Fenice.

Every year the Concert ends with two among the most famous plays by Giuseppe Verdi, which are considered as the gems of the italian musical heritage, such as: “Va’ pensiero sull’ali dorate”, the “Nabucco” and the most famous toast of the history of the Opera: “Libiam ne’ lieti calici”, played by Alfredo at Violetta’s house party, at the beginning of the Traviata.

In Venice, during the last fifty years, a screen painting studio has been turning artistic works from all over the world into graphics

Venice, December 17, 2021- Ink jars, brushes, frames, and colors scattered everywhere. Paper sheets clustered in every corner, prints hanging from the walls, huge work tables. Set squares, brushes, and chisels. Getting into the Fallani screen printing workshop in Venice means joining a little hidden treasure, where day by day arts become alive to impress a paper sheet, keeping bearing witness of the history of a city that has 1600 years on its back. Behind this place is a man, a true Venetian, who breathes art every day, and that expresses himself through out colors and shapes rather than with words. He is Gianpaolo Fallani, the business owner and head of the workshop that daily produces art pieces by printing on any kind of material. A place hidden within a small calle overlooking the lagoon on the side of the Fondamente Nove, that let the Venetians art printing excellence constantly grow, bringing it into the world by following the steps of those who, before him, bring to life this craft. 

It all started several years ago, when a young boy from Florence, with a passion for printing decided to move on to Venice, at the request of the San Lazzaro Island’ Armenian Fathers, to work in the heart of the Venetian lagoon. When he gained enough experience he decided to start his own zincography business, starting to produce printing presses before moving to photolithography. However, it was only in 1968 during a trade fair that he met, for the first time, silk-screen painting. Since then he has not been able to part with it, completely in love with the infinite potential uses of this printing technique. 

This young boy will eventually become the father of Gianpaolo Fallani, today owner of the Venetians workshop that will pass on that same passion for colors and printing, that led him to pick out this job. 

“I grew up in my father’s workshop and there I spent my whole afternoons and days during the summer holidays- say Gianpaolo Fallani- since I was so amazed by the colors, manual and artistic skills of my father I immediately loved this world. Once I grew up I then decided to focus on something different, even if still related to digital printing, but about ten years ago I finally decided to take over the business because I didn’t want it to get lost”.

The workshop had always dealt with artists, creating for them reproductions for books and posters reserved for art exhibitions and still today, 50 years later, it keeps doing it, turning amazing artistic works into graphics. This technique, however, hasn’t changed and so are the tools of the trade. 

It all starts with a nylon fabric frame, which was once made of silk, which is stretched on a wooden or metal frame. It is exactly through the meshes of this fabric that the ink is absorbed to be printed on the surface. To impress the image on the frame, a photomechanical process is used, which requires to set a light-sensitive jelly on the surface, let it dry and then expose it to light with a clear film, for a few minutes. The sections hit by the light eventually become solid and are used as the outline of the drawing. Once the setting is ready you just need to put some pressure on the surface with a specific tool and the ink will move to the sections of the frame that haven't been in touch with the emulsion, creating the desired design. 

“Screen printing is a very interesting, though little-known, technique. The funny thing is that it allows you to print on any surface and material- says Fallani- setting no limits on creativity. This is why my father chose to take up this craft and, after him, I keep doing it”. 

It has been ten years now since Gianpaolo Fallini has chosen to stay in Venice. The Venetian owner of the screen printing workshop has worked with his father, side by side, until his recent passing, and he’s so in love with this city that he is able to enjoy the good sides as well as the bad ones. And so, that young boy so fond of art, keeps living in that human dimension that you can only find between those streets filled with history, traditions and art, helping artists from all over the world to express their emotions, through his colors, papers, and experience. 

A journey to discover an unpublished version of a snowy Venice depicted on those vintage postcards exhibited in San Polo

Venice, December 23, 2021-  When Venice wakes up under a blanket of snow, whitewashed on a cold winter day. In the headquarters of the Regional Command of the Italian finance Police, in Campo San Polo, a hundred of black and white postcards are exhibited while kept inside glass display cabinets, as real precious jewels. Some of them contain wishes or greeting messages written by hand, others are just shots of everyday life. Simple pieces of paper, rectangular in shape, showing an unforgettable slice of the unknown life of a snowy Venice. The free exhibition is called “Il fascino della neve a Venezia nel ‘900” (The allure of snow in Venice in ‘900), and allows the public to take a dip into the past to admire, in the year of the 1600 anniversary of the city, a Venice that no longer exists when trying to recognize, between those shots faded by time, a campo or a calle that today we find familiar. All this precious material was collected by Gianni Berlanda a real collector, born in Trentino, who worked in the foreign trade sector for the fashion industry, and that, after years and years of travels, decided to came back in Venice, the city he always had in his heart, to spend his retirement carrying on the true passion for collecting, while living in the lagoon city. 

“I ended up in Venice by chance when I was just a young boy, but I started collecting postcard and photo of Venice almost immediately, because from the very first moment I stepped foot in this city, I find it utterly fascinating - says Gianni Berlanda- I came back here to study Economics at Ca’ Foscari University and today, 50 years after my degree and a lot of work trips later, I came back here to show everyone the beauty of Venice in its most magical dress”. 

Berlanda only collects black and white postcards, choosing to fix in his memory, and in that of anyone who visits his exhibitions, a pure and essential Venice, colourless. A Venice that he carefully holds in those 500 pieces of paper dated from the early 1900s to 1925, a hundred of which are exhibited at Palazzo Corner-Mocenigo. This is how by entering the palace in the San Polo district, you can fully immerse yourself in a typical Venetian landscape which was possible to admire only a few times during the past years. St. Mark’s square under a white blanket of snow, laying on the curvy profile of those 1900s gondolas, still adorned by the ancient “felze”, the old traditional central structure made to protect passengers, which today remains only in the memory of Venetians. From the small frozen canals to the lagoon during the great frost of 1929, when citizens were able to reach on foot the cemetery of San Michele and Murano from Fondamenta Nove.  

“I've been retired since 2008, and because I have all this free time I devoted myself to collecting- says Berlanda- I still have a lot of material to show the Venetians, and I hope they’ll appreciate this gift. Beside this exhibition I also have the desire to display some other collections to keep on showing the city through the eyes and messages of those who lived it in the past, offering the public an unedited journey among Venice postcards, divided by districts”. 

The exhibition is free and can be visited until January 6, 2022 at the following times: 
 - On weekdays from 10 to 12AM
- Saturdays and public holidays from 10AM to 1PM and from 2 to 4PM.

For further informations please visit www.palazzocornermocenigo.it

The Serenissima Republic daily life described in 67 paintings by Gabriel Bella

Venice, December 15th, 2021 – “Il volo del turco '' (the flight of the Turkish), the Historical Regatta, the marriage of the sea, the Carnival, and the famous bull hunting. People are gathered along the shores and at their windows. There are parades and State ceremonies. In these 67 paintings there is the whole Serenissima Republic. These are paintings by venetian artist Gabriel Bella, displayed at the Fondazione Querini Stampalia, providing a unique glance that proves how vibrant Venice was in the 1700s. A heritage that shows rituals and traditional costumes used at the time by the whole community. A view of the Serenissima Republic that this year celebrates its 1600 years of life.  
“The Querini family used to own hundreds of views painted by Gabriel Bella, representing both public and private life in Venice in the 1700s – explains the director Marigusta Lazzari -. This could be defined as an artistic reportage of public events, games, and regattas. Here, the public presentation of the newly elected Doge at the Scala dei Giganti is represented, as well as the Ridotto theatre, the San Beneto theatre – which doesn’t exist anymore -, the visit of the Pope to San Giovanni e Paolo, the marriage at the Basilica della Salute, the bull hauntings and the several regattas, such as the one of the Redentore. Moreover, theatres and fairs are represented, such as the one of the Sensa in Saint Mark’s Square and the Fat Thursday with its wooden fireworks machine, that used to be exploded at the end of the day although were later banned since venetian roofs could easily get on fire. This was the way in which the aristocracy brought the city inside their houses in the countryside, representing how daily life Venice was in the 1700s”. 
Originally, there were 100 paintings, which used to decorate villa Querini at Campo di Pietra, in Treviso. Of these paintings, 67 were saved and are now displayed at the Fondazione while the other 33 have never been found. 
In the 1700s Venice was the capital of social life - there were hundreds of public events every year – and of Carnival, that used to begin in October and end in May. Among the most unique paintings there is “La festa del Giovedì Grasso in Piazzetta” (Fat Thursday party in the Piazzetta) where Castellani and Nicolotti defied each other playing at “Forze d’Ercole” (Forces of Hercules), a competition which consist in creating a human pyramid. In the meantime, the public watched “the flight of the Turkish”. From a raft in the lagoon, an acrobat tied with a rope, descended towards Saint Mark’s bell tower, reached the pinnacle, and began doing astonishing moves and exercises and, after that, descended towards the loggia of the Doge’s Palace to give the Doge a bunch of flowers and and a poem. 
In the painting “La regata delle donne in Canal Grande” (The women Regatta along the Grand Canal) we can admire women from Pellestrina and Sant’Erasmo competing, while the public, approaching the competition field, was forced to back off by means of “balote”, tiny red-brown clay balls used for hunting animals in the lagoon. 
In Bella’s paintings, Venetian aristocracy as well as prostitution are represented. Elegant and intelligent women, able to entertain men in lively conversations, accompanied noble men and foreign guests throughout several events such as during the “ridotti”, where originally people used to gamble. In Bella’s “Il nuovo ridotto” (the new ridotto), the ridotto of Palazzo Dandolo after the 1768 restorations is represented. In 1638 Marco Dandolo obtained the first permit to open a public gambling house in his palace in San Moisè. That was the first casino. Inside, there were almost seventy tables where people could play cards or dice. Customers, men, and women from every social class had to wear the typical bauta, traditional costumes that included the tabarro (a black cloak), a triangular hat (tricorn) and a white or black mask with a veil that covered the head which had the shape of a beak, used to eat, or drink. There are also institutional moments, such as “Il giro della piazza del doge in pozzetto” (the Doge’s tour of the Square), with the Doge carried on the shoulders of eighty soldiers of the Arsenale. Moreover, there is also “L’incoronazione del doge sulla scala dei Giganti (The Crowning of the Doge on the Scala dei Giganti) where the head of the State of the Repubblica Veneta was crowned with the “zogia” the luxurious ducal horn. 
The museum of the Fondazione Querini will be open on Christmas holidays: from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10am to 6pm (Monday closed), with extra openings on December 8, 24, 25, 26 and on January 1, 2 and 6, 2022. 

Nativity, a path through churches and museums, the artistic heritage of the Serenissima

Venice, December 27th, 2021 – Not only traditions, Christmas markets and lights paths: Christmas in Venice means culture too. Nativity in Venice is explained through art. Christmas, in the city that this year celebrates its 1600 years from its foundation, means to deep dive within the huge artistic heritage of the Serenissima. 
Venetian churches, for instance, guard extraordinary masterpieces related to Christmas, painted between the 1500s and the 1700s. Christmas is described by the original work of art painted by Tintoretto in 1581, displayed at the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, representing the “Adoration of the Shepherds”, while in the church of San Trovaso the “Adoration of the Magi”, realised by the same famous venetian painter can be admired. In the churches of San Giovanni e Paolo and of San Giuseppe in Castello there is the same theme painted by Paolo Veronese, whilst the work by Paolo Veneziano can be observed at the church of San Pantalon with the “Nativity”. In the church of the Carmini, “The Nativity with Saints”, one of the masterpieces by Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano, realised in the first years of the 1500s, is displayed . In the church of San Giobbe, the astonishing “Nativity of Jesus” by Girolamo Savoldo can be admired (one of the greatest venetian painters of the 1500s), while in the sacristy of the Basilica of Santa Maria gloriosa dei Frari the painting “Adoration of the Magi”, by Bonifacio de’ Pitati is displayed. Inside the Church of San Zaccaria, Christmas is represented with the “Adoration of the Shepherds”, painted by Antonio Balestra at the beginning of the 1700s. 
Venetian museums guard precious gems that represent Christmas. At the Gallerie dell’Accademia we can find the “Conversano Polyptych” by Bartolomeo Vivarini and the “Nativity among Saints Eustace, James, Mark and Nicholas” by Lazzaro Bastiani. The Gallerie also host the “Nativity Triptych” by Jacopo Bellini, Gentile Bellini e Giovanni Bellini. At the Correr Museum instead, several are the paintings that represent Christmas. As a matter of fact, we can see a panel representing the central scene of a triptych that celebrates the birth of Jesus by an unknown painter. Moreover, we can admire the “Nativity” by Teodoro Poulakis, the triptych “Progenie di Sant’Anna”, painted between 1500 and 1510 by the German artist Hans Fries and the “"Madonna and Child with Angels" painted in 1525 by Lorenzo Lotto. The elegant “Madonna and Child with Goldfinch” by Michele Giambono is also dislayed as well as the “"Madonna and Child” by Giovanni Bellini, who is represented with an unusual bordeaux dress, a pink cloak and a veil with a jewel, that partially covers her head, while at the Doge’s Palace the “Nativity” by Gregorio Lazzarini (1665-1730) is displayed. 
Throughout Christmas holidays the musei civici veneziani will be open also in the evening. The Doge’s Palace and the Correr Museum will be open until 11pm (last entrance at 10pm) every Friday, Saturday and Sunday beginning from Friday 17th December 2021 until Sunday 9th December 2022. Museums will also be open every day from Friday 17th December 2021 until Sunday 9th December 2022.

Frari’s moving Nativity Scene: an attraction both for adults and children to discover Christmas again

Venice, 21st December 2021 – In Venice, Christmas only comes with the typical Frari’s Nativity Scene. The comet flashing outside, the Christmas melody ringing when people get near the front door and, every year, the surprise of admiring every single movement. In the Basilica dei Frari, there is an “artistic” Nativity Scene becoming a beautiful attraction both for children and adults. It has become a tradition made of love and patience, of care and Christian spirit. All that helps people to get involved in the true meaning of Christmas, in a city currently celebrating its 1600th anniversary of its foundation. Padre Sergio Zanchin is 89 years old and still is the cornerstone of this Nativity representation. He tells us:
“We are Franciscans and St. Francis was the first man preparing the Nativity Scene in Grecio, in 1223. Then, the friars understood that this representation could become a significant mark for those who want to celebrate Christmas and see how and where Jesus was born; the history of our salvation, a mark remaining in our hearts – Padre Sergio continues – so, here in the House of the Conventuals of the Frari, the Nativity Scene is used to be prepared every year. Obviously, we updated and revised it, with moving bigger statues”. The preparation starts in summer, when we control all the statues and we look for the necessary material. The real staging starts in mid-November so as to create the deck and the structure, later, we pass to the background and to the statues with their mechanical devices.
“The nativity Scene not only is a show, but also it has the aim of helping people to reflect on the Christmas mystery, on Jesus born in a cave – Padre Sergio goes on – children have fun when they see the changing background with its movements, however they are not able to grab the mystery. Contrarily, adults can both have fun like children and realise that we are all celebrating an important event, such as Christmas, especially thanks to the movement whereby the Virgin raises the baby Jesus and Joseph keeps the lantern on”.
When the traditional “Tu scendi dalle stelle” (You come down from the stars) is ringing in the chapel, during the day, the Nativity Scene turns into a small village formed by busy people doing their jobs: a woman feeding chickens, another one is collecting water from the well to wash garments in the tub, a lumberjack chopping wood, a potter working with clay, a blacksmith beating on hot iron, a basket maker realising a particular basket, while the fire is worming up the shepherds and the sheep are drinking from the waterfall.
Suddenly, the sun goes down and the night falls, among lightnings, clouds, and storms. The village stops, the citizens rest and stop their activities. Then, the Holy Family becomes the centre of the cave, with the Virgin lulling the Baby in order to show him to everybody and to send out Jesus’s message whereby he was born to save the humanity.
On top, there are two images representing the wooden angels by operating as display of the whole Nativity Scene, realised by the Bellunese carver Andrea Brustolon. They are preserved in the sacristy. 
The Nativity Scene in the Frari will remain open until the 2nd February and can be visited from 9 to 18.30.

Epiphany comes with the Three Wise Men parade at Saint Mark’s Square Bell Tower

Venice, 4th January 2022 – To see them is a rare event, as tells the story. In Venice, the Three Wise Men are represented with statues marking the 12 hours from Saint Mark’s bell tower: a slow parade that began in the 1500s and that has been included in the celebrations for the 1600 years of the city of Venice. To admire the work of art that announces the Epiphany, people have to be in Saint Mark’s Square twice a year: at 12 o'clock on January 6th or on the Ascension Day, looking up and watching one of the most famous architectural signs of the city. The tower, with its huge astronomical clock, is a masterpiece that, since the 1500s, has marked the life, the history, and the passing of time. 
There are wooden mechanical statues, such as an angel playing the trumpets and the Three Wise Men, moving mechanically through a semi-circular platform placed above the dial. Statues come out from the hour panel, passing in front of the Virgin with the Child and going back inside the Tower through the side panel of minutes, which is placed on the opposite side of the clock. These are not the original statues that were built 1499, but just copies, that date back to 1755 made by Giobatta Alviero.
In 1499, the Bell Tower, the Three Wise Men and the angel with the trumpets were made to come out at any hour from the loggia on the second floor, and parade in front of the Virgin with the baby. Nevertheless, the delicate complexity of the mechanism and its exploitation led to limit the frequency of the Three Wise Men parade. Once the new machine was created, and the device of the parade Bartolomeo Ferracina was developed, the Three Wise Men were placed back by means of the same mechanism used today, on the occasion of the Epiphany and the Ascension Day.

At the time of the Serenissima Republic, the time of the year between Christmas and the Epiphany did not mark the beginning of a new year. Actually, the new year began on March 1st, according to the ancient Roman calendar. Until 1797, in the Venetian State territories, the calculation of days in the calendar was made according to the venetian use (“More Veneto '' venetians used to say). Moreover, dates used to be shortened with capital letters “MV”. On the day of the Epiphany, the Doge used to participate in the religious ceremony of Saint Mark’s. Outside the Basilica, children gathered, waiting to join the parade towards San Zaccaria, where nuns used to open the doors of the monastery providing children with sweets, marzipan and donuts. A tradition that never has got lost but that has adjusted to modern times: in the 1600s and in the 1700s, shops used to be filled with sweets, fruit baskets, food and toys. They say that patricians used to love this tradition. As a matter of fact, the Labia family of the San Geremia contrada was the first one that thought about donating toys, sweets and fruit to children. After that, the Contarini’s, the Michiel’s, the Mocenigo’s, the Piovene’s and the Pisani’s followed their example, carrying on with the city’s tradition. 
Epiphany in Venice is also represented by a special old lady: the Marantega, a name that comes from the Latin, meaning Mater Antiqua. Indeed, today they are known as the Befane Maranteghe, that every year, on January 6th row along the Grand Canal for the traditional Regatta organised by the Canottieri Bucintoro. Regatta that this year will reach its 43° edition. This is one of the most awaited events in the city. The competition will see 5 men facing each other, wearing traditional costumes, each one of them in their own mascareta (typical boat) with their broom. 
 

The tradition of Christmas in Venice, when the Doge used to leave the Palace to reach San Giorgio

Venice, December 22, 2021 – Only on Christmas Eve, the Doge used to leave the Palace and show himself to the public. An event that took place once in a year for the visit to the ancient island of San Giorgio Maggiore. It was there where the Doge used to go after having joined the sacred celebrations at the Basilica of San Marco, at the end of which he used to reach the square followed by a parade. A long walk, lighted by torches and candlesticks. that ended at the dock, where traditional venetian boats waited for the Doge. At the sound of Saint Mark’s bells, the departure to the island of San Giorgio began, accompanied by the sound of typical silver trumpets. The Christmas pilgrimage ended in front of the doors of San Giorgio’s, where the Doge used to be welcomed by the abbot and the monks. Again, the Doge used to participate to a religious celebration, although shorter than the previous one and, after that, moved to a magnificent room of the monastery where refreshments were served. The “zorzini”, (from San Zorzi, Giorgio), sweets prepared by monks, were described by Cesare Gozzi – who joined the parade of Doge Pietro Grimani - as “a gourmand wonder”. The return to the Palace was characterised by the same ritual, with torches and candlesticks, while people cried “Viva San Marco” and the bells continued ringing.
Anyway, in Venice, Christmas used to have other meanings. As recalled Alberto Toso Fei, Venetian writer, at Christmas the long venetian Carnival, that used to last from October until Ash Wednesday, stopped for a while. The same happened for the “Guerre dei Pugni” (literally the punches wars), that used to begin in September and that saw the Nicolotti against the Castellani, two of the most ancient venetian sides. These fights, that traditionally took place in some bridges of the city, were banned from September 20th, 1705, when a fight ended in blood, causing several victims. The legend tells that on Christmas Eve, Giuliana di Collalto, the founder of the monastery of Santi Biagio e Cataldo located in the island of Giudecca (which used to be placed where now the Molino Stucky is), by means of her prayers had an angel coming down from heaven and who appeared among the choir. An angel carrying baby Jesus in his hands. The Angel, after having announced the birth of the baby, gave him to Giuliana. According to another legend, on Christmas Eve a black cat traced little circles on Ponte del Diavolo (Devil’s Bridge) in Torcello: the cat represents the devil that every year comes back and waits for the souls of seven children who have never been baptised. Children who will be brought to him by a witch, as an exchange for a concession granted to her more than one century ago, when she reunited a venetian girl and his loved one, an Austrian official murdered by the girl’s family.

 

Regatta of the Historical Marine Republics: on Sunday 19 in Genoa, the 65th edition will be held

Venice, 16th December 2021 – Celebrating the rivalry and the feats between the Italian Marine Republics, Venice, Amalfi, Genoa, and Pisa. This is the aim of the Regatta of the Historical Marine Republics, sporting event inspired by the historical re-enactment of 1955. This year it will take place during the 1600th year of the Serenissima. On Sunday 19, in Genoa, the 65th Historical Regatta, involving the four Italian Marine Republics challenging by the strength of oars.

In the first three editions, in Pisa, on the waters of the Arno, Venice was the winner aboard ancient galleries.  The first sporting event took place in 1956 in Pisa, ten years ago, at least. When the Pisan horse rider came up with the idea of organising a sporting event in the cities dominating the sea. The offer was firstly examined by Carlo Vallini, president of the Provincial Tourist Board in Pisa. Then, after approving it, he involved all the municipalities of the other cities so that the event would be accepted enthusiastically. The initiative was embraced positively, especially by the lawyer Francesco Amodio and, in that moment, mayor of Amalfi. He organised a meeting with the representatives from the four cities involved. The meeting took place at the palace of Pisa the 9th April 1949, but the agreement was not easy: during the discussion, the head of the municipal office of Venice, the Dr. Manzini was against the participation of the lagoon city in the competition, even though agreeing with the historical parade. The lawyer Amodio tried to make him change his idea, by highlighting the historical and tourist importance of the event. By seeing the strong agreement showed by Amalfi, Pisa, and Genoa, the representatives of Venice took notice of that and joined the cultural initiative, as well.

After obtaining the agreement, the statute and the guidelines were established. All the essential elements have been researched in order to realise the costumes for the historical parade among the historical archives and works of art; the projects concerning the boats were drawn and money was collected to organise the Palio.

The 29th June 1955, in Genoa, an experimental test was realised by involving the “gozzi” (fishing boat) with four rowers. The 10th December, the certificate of incorporation was signed in Amalfi, in the Salone Morelli (current Museo Storico di Palazzo San Benedetto), seat of the Municipality, so as to set off the creation of the Organisational Body of the regatta.

The boats were built by the Cooperativa Goldolieri di Venezia (Gondoliers’ Cooperative of Venice). They were launched the 9th June 1956 on the bank of the Royal Gardens, by the blessing of the Venetian Patriarch Angelo Roncalli (later elected pope, under the name of Giovanni XXIII).

The first edition took place in Pisa a month later, the 1st July 1956: even Giovanni Gronchi and Gennaro Cassiani, respectively the President of the Republic of that time and the President of the Merchant Marine Gennaro, attended the event.

From the first edition, the Republic of the Serenissima has won the competition 34 times, the last one in 2019.