More artisans

On Salizada San Lio, Castello, number 5468, a new shop has opened! It is the tiny offspring of the main shop, Il Gufo Artgiano, on the Ruga degli Spezieri, 299, in San Polo.

I was attracted to it by the sight and smell of cow hides hanging at the door way, then when I looked in the door, by the delight of many colourful pieces of leather work.

Everything is hand-made, and in this shop you can find handbags, coin purses, credit card holders, belts, bracelets, bookmarks …

They are fighting the tsunami of shops with cheap ‘leather’ imports that are springing up all around the city (and not only in Venice).

The designer, on the right, and the artisan, on the left

My little purchase. I’ll use it with pride and good memories

Lonely Planet review for Il Gufo Artigiano

Hot copper and extremely careful handling is the secret to the embossed  leather designs gracing journals, handbags and wallets in this artisan’s  atelier. Ancient ironwork patterns in Venetian windows and balconies inspire the  swirling designs, with vibrantly coloured leather adding an unexpected modern  twist: orange satchels, saffron-yellow photo albums and verdant day  planners.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/venice/shopping/crafts/il-gufo-artigiano#ixzz2PZwKQG00

Chiesa Zaninova, Castello

With an unfinished facade that is reminiscent of San Lorenzo, the deconsecrated Chiesa di S. Giovanni Novo (Zaninova) is tucked away just off the Calle Sacrestia.

 To see a larger version of the photos, just click on the first image. It’s sad to see that the graffiti mob has been around, and left their mark on the well head.

To read more about this church, follow the link to Jeff Cotton’s site:

http://www.churchesofvenice.co.uk/castello.htm#sanzaninovo

The old barber shop

In Calle S. Antonio, Castello,  you will find the ghost of this old barber shop.

Parrucchiere=hairdresser. Barbiere=barber

As I crouched down to take this shot, a white haired gentleman stopped and told me that he could remember when this was a busy barber-shop.

Well, I just don’t know

Smack dab beside the Chiesa San Giovanni in Bragora are some window shutters that aren’t usually open. (At least not in my wanderings past.)

But, they were open the other day. I’m confident that someone will provide the storyline for this charming sculpture.

Castello, 3709-14 Corte del Papa

This is another of the dwellings featured in Venice: Venetian domestic architecture by Egle Trincanato. It is described as ” a small palace with remains of 11th century work”. The “three part mullioned window was rebuilt in the 16th century, with capitals dating from the 13th or 14th century”.

There is no mention of the age worn carving you will notice in the photo of the archway, and the close-up shots.

I had carefully noted where I should find this building on http://maps.venicexplorer.net/venice-mapquest/index.php?hlangs=en but I was darned if I could find the place. Finally one day, I noticed a couple of men in the vicinity, and asked them. Just my luck, they were architects, knew of the work of Egle Trincanato and kindly lead me to the gate of the Corte, and told me to ring some bells until someone answered, and let me in. It worked!

What a wonderland I was privileged to enter.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Via Garibaldi, Castello

The sun was just setting behind me, casting a warm glow on this group of people enjoying an aperitif at Strani, on Via Garibaldi. I wish you could join them!

And then, this nice family helped to solve the puzzle of how a boat owner gets to his craft when it is on the other side of the canal.

Ciao da Ludovica, Daniele e i due raggazzi! Piacere.

Artisans still exist

There are still skilled craftsmen and artisans working in Venice, and I met two of them in one day.

The first is a  fabbro ferraio (favro in Venetian, it seems), that is, a worker in iron, a blacksmith. I noticed his shop in a narrow calle in Castello because of his window display.

Models of Rialto Bridge and San Marco

Further examples of the work he does

 The favro is Primo Bollani, and this is his cramped workshop.

Primo Bollani, (blacksmith) Castello, 5567

I really plead with you to look at his website, to gain some appreciation of what he has done, and is trying to achieve.

www.elferonovo.com       http://www.elferonovo.com/uk/indexuk.htm  (English version)

I crossed the Rialto Bridge to do some wandering in San Polo, and met another delightful, unassuming artist, Giovanni Vio. He has a tiny shop outlet on Calle de la Madoneta, 1459 to display some of the many ceramic and terracotta items he has made, and offers for sale.

My modest purchase

Giovanni has a studio on the Lido, where he does his work, and also gives lessons to those wanting to learn this art form. He also does restoration work, a skill learned from his father and grandfather.

He is the grandson of Romano Vio, a Venetian sculptor born 100 years ago. A tribute to him is currently on in Venice, until 26 aprile.

Again, I urge you to have a look at Giovanni’s website (also available in English).   www.vioartfactory.com

These two hard-working talented men (and others like them) deserve more attention (and customers); please help keep their art alive!

I wondered

I wondered what my first post from Venice would be about. A short walk last night proved inspirational for me!

Remember this fellow?

Yes, it’s our old friend, Francesco Querini. I thought he was Francesco Overini, until some knowledgeable folks put me right!

(You can read about him here, if you missed his story before: http://ytaba36.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/francesco-overini/

Last evening, I was walking past the Giardini, and saw this memorial not very far from the previous one.

And, I noticed the name of Francesco Querini. Could this be the same fellow?

I went back this morning, with my camera and notebook.

Here’s what you can see of the inscription.

In Italian it says: Acconto al marmo di Francesco Quirini, qui vuolsi l’ala del Venezia. No. Pier Luigi Penzo sorvolota su l’Artide caduta nel Rodana.
Nato a venzia il 5 maggio 1896, morto a Valence il 29 settembre 1928

So, if he was born in 1896, he couldn’t have been the same Francesco Quirini about whom I previously posted, who died in 1900. And, a quick look online hasn’t brought to light any information about this new Francesco Quirini. And, because I’m on holiday, I’m leaving it to the intrepid, devoted investigators in the group to see what they can find, if anything, about the mystery man.

Or, have I got it all wrong, and is the memorial dedicated to Pier Luigi Penzo, who was a pilot in World War 1, and for whom the Stadio Pierluigi Penzo, a  multi-use  stadium in Venice, is named?

It seems it didn’t take long for Venice to throw a mystery in our path.

I leave you with an image of the view our original Francesco gazes at every day. If someone ever wants to erect a memorial to me, could you please give me an equally splendid view?

The view for Francesco numero uno

 

San Lorenzo (Saint Laurence/Lawrence)

Many of you will recognise this image of San Lorenzo, to be found on a wall on Fondamenta de L’Osmarin, Castello.

When you do an internet search for him, you find that he goes by several names, in various parts of the world. I’ll stick with San Lorenzo, since that is the name he answers to in Italy. Well, answered to, he’s been dead for a number of years. (Since 258, in fact.)

He was one of seven Deacons under Pope St. Sixtus, and was sentenced to death by the Prefect of Rome. His death apparently took the form of being burned  (or grilled) to death. This explains why he is typically shown with a gridiron.

He must have been a brave man, the story goes that he said to his assassins “Turn me over. I’m done on that side.”

Anyhow, if you are a cook or a chef, this is your go-to Patron Saint, and his feast day is 10 August.

I’ve been asked what he is holding in his right hand. Some images show it to be what could be garlic. If that is so, there’s another link with the cooks/chefs in our lives. I have also read that he was entrusted with the Holy Chalice, used at the Last Supper, so that could be what we see in this relief.  Next time I go past here, I’ll take a closer look, unless someone comes up with the definitive answer in the meantime.

There is a church bearing his name not far from this bas-relief, the Chiesa San Lorenzo. It has been closed for many years, but now, the government of Mexico has a 9 year “lease” on it, for use during the Biennale, with the proviso that they restore it.

You can read about the church, and see some photos of the interior on Jeff Cotton’s excellent site: http://www.churchesofvenice.co.uk/castello.htm   (Just scroll down to, and click on San Lorenzo.)

So there you go, your dose of religious education for today. You’re welcome.

The Arsenale, Castello

I had hoped to be able to see more of the Arsenale this year, with  vessels competing in the America’s Cup World Series to be moored there, and the public allowed into certain areas.

Alas, there are rumours that the plans for the inclusion of Venice have  been scuttled (or perhaps scuppered). If that is so, I’ll just have to find another way to burrow my way into this tempting portion of the history, I guess.

Here is some of what I did see when I walked through the parts of the complex that were accessible to we mere mortals, during the Biennale of 2011.

A sky so blue, it can hurt your eyes

And the walls came tumbling down

I’m not sure whether this was part of the Biennale. I think not, it was tucked away, out of sight.

The long road to … what?