Sior Rioba an enigmatic Venetian figure

Shadows and Secrets: The Timeless Enigma of Rioba and Campo de Mori

In the heart of Venice, where canals breathe life into the city's ancient bones, the still gaze of the Rioba Statue falls over Campo de Mori. Captured in the stark contrasts of black and white, the image transcends mere aesthetics—it taps into the soul of a Venice that exists beyond the reach of time.

The Rioba Statue, renowned for its mysterious visage—a grimace or a smile depending on the eye of the beholder—stands as if whispering secrets to passersby.

The statue of Sior Antonio Rioba is a fascinating subject steeped in Venetian folklore and history. Located in Campo dei Mori in the Cannaregio district, the statue is one of four figures that represent the Mastelli brothers—merchants from the Morea (now part of modern Greece) who settled in Venice during the 12th century. Among the brothers, Sior Antonio Rioba is the most famous and has come to embody various myths and stories over the years.

One of the most popular tales suggests that the statue served as a sort of "complaint box" for Venetians. People would stick notes or messages into the statue's mouth to share grievances, which would then allegedly be reviewed by the Venetian government. It is said that this is where the Venetian phrase "Parlar col Rioba" (Talking to Rioba) originates, implying the action of speaking without being heard or of making a complaint to an indifferent authority.

The statue's face was vandalized in the 19th century, losing its nose and jaw. It has since been restored, but the incident only added to its aura of mystery and intrigue. In more recent times, it's become a symbol of Venice's complex past and its multifaceted relationship with trade, power, and oriental influences.

The statue is made of a composite material resembling bronze, and its countenance—whether viewed as a smile or a grimace—invites multiple interpretations, adding another layer to its enigmatic appeal.

The Campo dei Mori itself has its colourful history, meaning "Field of the Moors," and serves as a lasting testament to Venice's diverse, cosmopolitan past. The square is adorned with various oriental elements, reflecting the city's longstanding trade relationships with the East.

So, if you're capturing this fascinating subject through the lens of your camera, you're not just photographing a statue but an enigmatic figure entwined with the myths, legends, and history of Venice itself.

S Daniele Prosciutto

In the pre-Roman era, San Daniele del Friuli was an important Celtic settlement, thanks to its special position en route to Northeast Europe. The surrounding area contains the remains of various “castellieri”, the typical Celtic constructions used as watchtowers.

The Celts, a relatively non-migratory people, devoted to agriculture and with minimal warlike tendencies, were the first to use salt to preserve pork, of which they were major consumers. They built the foundations of the extraordinary rural culture which the Romans put to expert use later on.

In the era following that of the Celts, the oldest San Daniele settlement is Roman, from the 1st century AC: a villa positioned right on the summit of the hill.

The Romans were very familiar with ham: evidence of this can be found in the ancient merchants’ road to Rome, the present Via Panisperna, named after “panis” (bread) and “perna” (“perna sicca”: ham), and in a butcher’s memorial stone found in Aquileia (UD), which boasts a Prosciutto di San Daniele complete with trotter.

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Fast forwards to the 1920 the first ham factories were established: the domestic cellar was transformed into the centre of a true autonomous production activity. At the end of the 40s, the ham factory had become an industry, and from the 60s its development resulted in some of the production companies contributing to the formation of the national and international prosciutto crudo market.

On the trail of Tintoretto

An exhibition honouring 16th-century Venetian master Tintoretto opens in Rome today Saturday, following the painter's career from his days as an ambitious disciple of Titian to a bitter old age. "Tintoretto was the most controversial painter of his time," Melania Mazzucco, one of the organisers, told reporters in the Italian capital.  Tintoretto, whose real name was Jacopo Robusti, owed his nickname to his father who was a manufacturer of dyes ("tinta" in Italian). He became one of the greatest practitioners of the Venetian style.

Tintoretto used to live meters away from Campo Dei Mori where he used to walk probably every day

The exhibition, which runs until June 10, begins with one of his monumental works "The Miracle of the Slave" (1548), measuring 4.16 metres by 5.44 metres (14 feet by 18 feet) and normally jealously guarded in Venice. The choice of putting a slave at the centre of the painting instead of the saint who is rescuing him was considered scandalous at the time.Another masterpiece in the show is "The Theft of the Body of Saint Mark" (1564) showing a group of Christians in Alexandria taking away the saint's body from a bonfire that has been miraculously extinguished by rain. Apart from religious and mythological subjects, Tintoretto also painted hundreds of portraits -- a source of revenue from aristocrats, writers and celebrities that he used for contacts and protection. Tintoretto's pride was legendary: he once turned down a knighthood from French king Henry III because he did not want to kneel down and he refused to allow his beloved daughter Marietta to leave his home. His final years were cruel to the painter. Marietta died in 1590, followed by his son Giovanni Battista. His last self-portrait shows a somber and humbled Tintoretto, his face marked by the harshness of life. His last child died in a convent in 1652, leaving him without descendants.