Every traveler to Venice wants to go home with a special souvenir--a carnival mask, a piece of Murano glass, a handcrafted piece of lace. But selecting which mask or which goblet to buy can be an intimidating experience. How do you know if you're buying something authentic, something made in Venice, something made in a traditional way? How do you gauge how much you should pay, and how do you know if you're being ripped off? How do you determine if you have fallen prey to one of the city's many tourist traps?
Laura Morelli, an art historian and trusted guide in the world of cultural travel and authentic shopping, leads you to the best of the city's most traditional arts: Murano glass, carnival masks, gondolas, lace, paper, and more. This indispensable guide includes practical tips for locating the most authentic goods in one of the busiest tourist destinations in the world. Packed with useful information on pricing, quality, and value, and with a comprehensive resource guide, Laura Morelli's Authentic Arts: Venice is the perfect guide for anyone wanting to bring home the unique traditions of Venice.
Artisans of Venice is the companion to Laura Morelli's Authentic Arts: Venice, A Travel Guide to Murano Glass, Carnival Masks, Gondolas, Lace, Paper, & More. Put both books together and you'll be the most knowledgeable traveler in Venice!
Artisans of Venice: Companion to the Travel Guide
Buyer Beware: Venice is full of tourist traps and mass-produced souvenirs passed off as authentic. Do you know how to tell the treasures from the trash?
In Venice, it's not easy to tell the treasures from the trash. This is true now more than ever before, as increasing numbers of carnival masks, glass, and other souvenirs flood into Venice, imported from overseas and passed off as authentic. There is no substitute for an educated buyer. Laura Morelli helps you locate the city's most authentic artisans--those practicing centuries-old trades of mask making, glass blowing, wood turning, silk spinning, and other traditions. Wouldn't you rather support authentic Venetian master artisans than importers looking to turn a quick profit without any connection to Venice at all?
Venice boasts some of the most accomplished master artisans in the world. Here's how you can find them.
Laura Morelli leads you beyond the souvenir shops for an immersive cultural experience that you won't find in any other guidebook. Artisans of Venice brings you inside the workshops of the most accomplished makers of Venetian fabrics, Murano glass and millefiori, carnival masks and masquerade costumes, gondolas, Burano lace, mirrors, marbleized paper, hand-carved frames, and other treasures. This book leads you to the multi-generational studios of some 75 authentic master artisans. If you're reading on your Kindle device, tablet, or smartphone, you can click directly on their street addresses for an interactive map, and link to their web sites and email addresses directly from the guide. A cross-referenced resource guide also offers listings by neighborhood.
Laura Morelli, an art historian and trusted guide in the world of cultural travel and authentic shopping, leads you to the best of Venice's most traditional arts. Laura Morelli's Authentic Arts series is the only travel guide series on the market that takes you beyond the museums and tourist traps to make you an educated buyer--maybe even a connoisseur--of Florentine leather, ceramics of the Amalfi Coast, Parisian hats, Venetian glass, the handmade quilts of Provence, and more treasures.
Bring Laura Morelli's guides to Venice with you, and you'll be sure to come home with the best of Venice in your suitcase.
Guest Post by Laura Morelli
Shopping Tips: Venice
Over years of
uncovering Venetian artisans following authentic, centuries-old traditions, I
have developed a few strategies to help guide you through the minefield of
shopping in the world’s most touristy city.
Before you
travel to Venice, read up on its handcrafted traditions. What sparks your
interest? Carnival masks? Glass? Have you considered handmade paper? Go online
or to the library and read up before you go. Even a cursory education will help
you avoid impulsive and reckless purchases that you may regret
later.
As soon as
you arrive in Venice, start with the museums that display collections of
authentic traditions such as Burano lace, Murano glass, and other handcrafted
works with a long history. I am not suggesting that you should go home with a
museum-quality work or an antique. The point of starting with the museums is to
train your eye. After spending a short time in the local museums, you will begin
to absorb the colors, patterns, styles, and forms that are traditionally
Venetian. Most of all, you’ll be better equipped to spot high-quality,
traditionally made wares when you begin to hunt for a souvenir. You can find a
list of great museum collections of Venetian arts in the Resources section at
the back of my Venice guides.
In Venice,
stick to Venetian-made objects. In other words, it’s not a good idea to buy
Italian goods made elsewhere, like Florentine leather handbags or Roman marble,
because those items are neither traditional nor locally made. They may or may
not have been made in Italy, and, purchased out of context you will never
know.
There are at
least two good reasons for buying Venetian works in Venice. The first is that
you are more likely to get greater value by buying from the source. The
second—even more valuable in my opinion—is that you are more likely to make a
connection with the person who made it, and that will become part of an
immersive travel experience that you will carry with you forever.
Laura Morelli holds a Ph.D. in art history from Yale University, where she was a Bass Writing Fellow and Mellon Doctoral Fellow. She authored a column for National Geographic Traveler called “The Genuine Article” and contributes pieces about authentic travel to national magazines and newspapers. Laura has been featured on CNN Radio, Travel Today with Peter Greenberg, The Frommers Travel Show, and in USA TODAY, Departures, House & Garden Magazine, Traditional Home, the Denver Post, Miami Herald, The Chicago Tribune, and other media. Recently her art history lesson, “What’s the difference between art and craft?” was produced and distributed by TED-Ed.
Laura has taught college-level art history at Trinity College in Rome, as well as at Northeastern University, Merrimack College, St. Joseph College, and the College of Coastal Georgia. Laura has lived in five countries, including four years in Italy and four years in France.
Laura Morelli is the author of the guidebook series that includes Made in Italy, Made in France, and Made in the Southwest, all published by Rizzoli / Universe. The Gondola Maker, a historical coming-of-age story about the heir to a gondola boatyard in 16th-century Venice, is her first work of fiction.
Connect with Laura: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ about.me
Where to buy the book:
Amazon: Venice Travel Guide
Amazon: Artisans of Venice
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The baùta or baùtta
The baùta is the
quintessential Venetian mask, worn historically not only at Carnival time but
any time a Venetian citizen wished to remain anonymous, such as when he may have
been involved in important law-making or political processes in the city. The
simplest of the traditional Venetian mask types, the baùta is a stark
faceplate traditionally paired with a full-length black or red hooded cloak
called a tabàro (or tabàrro), and a
tricorn hat, as depicted in paintings and prints by the Venetian artist Pietro
Longhi. Most baùte were made of waxed papier-mâché and covered most of
the face. The most prominent feature is a distinctive aquiline nose and no
mouth. The lower part of the mask protruded outward to allow the mask wearer to
breathe, talk, and eat while remaining disguised.
Colombina
In the Commedia dell’Arte, Colombina played the
role of maidservant. The Colombina is a half-mask that covers the forehead down
to the cheeks, but leaves the mouth revealed. Originally, it would have been
held up to the face by a baton in the hand. The Colombina is often decorated
with more feminine flourishes, from gilding to gems and feathers, but both men
and women may wear it.
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