Material culture in Sixteenth Century Venice: a sample from probate inventories, 1510–1615

This paper presents a panel of data about material culture in early modern Venice. The data are taken from three samples of Venetian probate inventories drawn up voluntarily from Venetian widows in the years 1510–1615, at intervals of roughly fifty years. The entire period has been divided into two subgroups of three years each (1511–1513, 1560–1562), and one of six years (1610–1615). The selection of goods tries to reflect the variety of objects appearing in written lists of Venetian interiors (pieces of furniture, paintings, musical instruments, tableware, cloths), though it aims to present a view of domestic interiors in early modern Venice that pays special regard to less essential goods.Material culture, Venice, early-modern economic history, consumption, social orders, dowry legislation, probate inventories

Un mestiere dove non c’è nulla da imparare? I merciai veneziani e l’apprendistato in età moderna

L’inchiesta sullo stato delle Arti promossa dal governo veneziano nell’ultimo quarto del Settecento rilevava, a proposito dei merciai, come non vi fossero “leggi di garzonato, di filiazione, di capomaestri, né prove, né vincoli, fuorchè quello di dover apprender in età tenera la professione, onde poi l’individuo fatto adulto passar possa a giovane di negozio, che perciò non è soggetto al pagamento di alcuna tansa, a cui soccombe al solo momento di diventar capomaestro, e d’aprir bottega.” La corporazione non era infatti coinvolta in alcun processo produttivo, essendo “un aggregato di mercanti venditori a minuto qualunque merce, o estera permessa, o fabbricata nello Stato.” E per questo era una corporazione particolarmente numerosa, comprendente al suo interno sia le più lussuose botteghe delle Mercerie (Bartolomeo Bontempelli era, di fatto, un marzer pur essendo ricchissimo e in contatto con i principali rappresentanti delle corti estere a Venezia tra Cinque e Seicento) sia i venditori alla giornata, che giravano la città con poca merce appresso. In realtà, di garzoni se ne ne impiegavano abitualmente. I ragazzi imparavano a tagliare e piegare le stoffe, a valutarne la qualità, a compiere tutte le operazioni necessarie alla conduzione di una bottega – l’apertura e la chiusura, il trattare con i clienti, la gestione dei pagamenti con i fornitori e con i clienti. Sporadici ma continui sono i contratti di garzonato registrati nei fondi della Giustizia Vecchia da parte di marzeri, e anche quando, come nel 1696, la corporazione si lamentava della diminuzione degli affari e dei tempi difficili, si contavano novanta maestri e 220 tra “gioveni” e garzoni – una sproporzione comunque abituale nelle arti di età moderna ma indicativa dell’ampio ricorso anche per quest’arte dell’istituto del garzonato. In questo contributo, dunque, si presenteranno alcuni casi di studio e un panorama generale relativo all’Arte dei marzeri e ai rapporti tra capomaestro e garzoni.Alongside its role of commercial hinge between East and West, from the fifteenth century on Venice was famous also for its shops, and for the richest of them that paved the street linking the trading heart of the city (the Rialto) to its political brain (San Marco and the Doges’ Palace). The Mercerie, whose name derived from merce or merchandise, were especially the reign of mercers’ and drapers’ shops: they sold several kinds of goods and textiles both produced inside the city (with its increasing manufacture power and with the increasing provision of raw and semifinished materials from the mainland) and imported through the networks of international trade. Combining different trades, as it was often the norm, the mercers’ guild was one of the most plentiful and flexible in early modern Venice; although it counted many poor street-sellers among its members, good luck and initiative often enabled someone to become rich. The profession of mercers and haberdashers was mainly devoted to sell goods, with marginal exception in manufactures, such as in the case of hatters. Hence, mercers did not rely on special skills to be tested to become a master, nor on laws regulating apprenticeship, although journeymen and apprentices were widely employed in mercers’ shops. Making use of two membership lists issued in late 17th century, describing every affiliate with his or her role and age, this essay tries to shed light on the activity of these lower grade workers which indeed often contributed significantly to the life on the shop’s floor

A cosa serve una piazza mercantile? Il ruolo di Rialto

L'articolo analizza cosa si intenda per 'piazza mercantile' in età moderna, e, nel dettaglio, il ruolo informativo e istituzionale dell'area realtina durante la repubblica veneta

Tra commercio e arte. La vita divisa di Marco Boschini

Il contributo ricostruisce la biografia di Marco Boschini come figura di intermediario artistico costantemente alla ricerca di affermazione sociale. Viene restituita sia la dimensione familiare di provenienza (artigianato vetrario) sia l'aspirazione costante alla ricerca artistica con una carriera non espletata da pittore che tuttavia si trasforma in una serie di piccoli incarichi soprattutto di incisioni anche per il governo (Boschini ad esempio lavora per la Zecca)

Un pantheon borghese. Benefattori ai Mendicanti nel Seicento

The rules and regulations administering the re-founded hospital of San Lazzaro dei Mendicanti in Venice stipulated explicitly, at the beginning of the seventeenth century, that the governors were to be drawn both from the Venetian patriciate and from the class of 'cittadini' (citizens) and leading merchants living in the city. Collaboration between members of social groups which were formally distinct was not confined to the philanthropic sphere in Venice, and in any case the formal separation which existed between the three orders of inhabitants (patricians, citizens, and common people as 'popolani') found numerous exceptions in practice. Over the course of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, however, collaboration promoted inclusion and social mobility ehich culminated in the process of the re-opening of the patriciate in 1646 after three centuries. As in other Venetian charitable institutions, the financial and organizational contributions of individuals who did not belong to the ruling class were substantial, and particularly important in the early decades of the hospital's history. The analysis of those who were elected each year to administrative and managerial positions at the Mendicanti reveals how all governors could be called upon to contribute to its administration - and thereby to engage in a genuine collaboration with colleagues from a social group which was not their own. The success of the institution, which grew rapidly, demonstrates the efficacy of this practice, and ultimately proves that the wealthiest stratum of Venetian society was fluid: 'bourgeois' rather than elitist

Patients with multiple sclerosis: a burden and cost of illness study

Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disease negatively impacting patients' physical, psychological and social well-being with a significant economic burden. Objectives The study estimates MS burden and cost of illness in Italy from a societal perspective in 2019. Methods Information on the impact of the disease on daily activities, symptoms, employment, resource utilization and the role of caregivers was collected through questionnaires completed by 944 patients and caregivers. Results were stratified according to both disease severity and payer. Mean costs and overall costs were extrapolated from the sample to the Italian MS population considering published distribution of severity. Results The study showed a great impact of the disease on daily and work activities increasing with the disability. The overwhelming burden of fatigue emerged. Mean annual costs were estimated at euro39,307/patient (euro29,676, euro43,464 and euro53,454 in mild, moderate and severe cases, respectively). Direct healthcare costs were the major component (euro21,069), followed by indirect costs (euro15,004). The overall cost of the disease in Italy was euro4.8 billion. The National Healthcare System (NHS) sustained most of the costs (80%), most notably direct healthcare costs, while patients paid almost all non-healthcare expenses. Conclusions This study confirmed that MS carries a substantial burden to patients and society, highlighting the need for awareness of this disease

Correlation between olfactory function, age, sex, and cognitive reserve index in the Italian population

Purpose: Loss of smell decreases the quality of life and contributes to the failure in recognizing hazardous substances. Given the relevance of olfaction in daily life, it is important to recognize an undiagnosed olfactory dysfunction to prevent these possible complications. Up to now, the prevalence of smell disorders in Italy is unknown due to a lack of epidemiological studies. Hence, the primary aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in a sample of Italian adults. Methods: Six hundred and thirty-three participants (347 woman and 286 men; mean age 44.9 years, SD 17.3, age range 18-86) were recruited from 10 distinct Italian regions. Participants were recruited using a convenience sapling and were divided into six different age groups: 18-29 years (N = 157), 30-39 years (N = 129), 40-49 years (N = 99), 50-59 years (N = 106), > 60 years (N = 142). Olfactory function, cognitive abilities, cognitive reserve, and depression were assessed, respectively, with: Sniffin' Sticks 16-item Odor Identification Test, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Cognitive Reserve Index, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Additionally, socio-demographic data, medical history, and health-related lifestyle information were collected. Results: About 27% of participants showed an odor identification score < 12 indicating hyposmia. Multiple regression analysis revealed that OI was significantly correlated with age, sex, and cognitive reserve index, and young women with high cognitive reserve index showing the highest olfactory scores. Conclusion: This study provides data on the prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in different Italian regions

Proceedings of the Fifth Italian Conference on Computational Linguistics CLiC-it 2018

On behalf of the Program Committee, a very warm welcome to the Fifth Italian Conference on Computational Linguistics (CLiC-­‐it 2018). This edition of the conference is held in Torino. The conference is locally organised by the University of Torino and hosted into its prestigious main lecture hall “Cavallerizza Reale”. The CLiC-­‐it conference series is an initiative of the Italian Association for Computational Linguistics (AILC) which, after five years of activity, has clearly established itself as the premier national forum for research and development in the fields of Computational Linguistics and Natural Language Processing, where leading researchers and practitioners from academia and industry meet to share their research results, experiences, and challenges

I Frari senza l'Assunta. Le vicende del trasferimento della pala di Tiziano alle Gallerie dell'Accademia nel 1816-1817

The Assumption of the Virgin stood since 1518 on the high altar of the Frari church, receiveing a constant admiration and as much constant deploration for the bad condition of light that impeded to fully appreciate the painted surface. The painting was damaged by candle smoke, and a better collocation was strongly advised. It was then removed from the altar in 1816 and had the main place in the growing collections of the Gallerie dell’Accademia until the First World War. This contribution describes the conditions in which this arrangement took place

Instruments of Magnificence. Finance and Credit in Early Modern Rome

International audienceAbstract. The economic strength of early modern Rome consisted essentially in its financial opportunities. At the opening of the seventeenth century, one of the most stable long-term public debts was in place there, with a lively secondary market fostered by bankers, prominent aristocrats, and a broad group of small investors extending all over Italy. Debt instruments (luoghi) accompanied several other forms of loans and revenues, whose opportunities were well exploited by noble Roman families and which were backed and facilitated by several private banking houses and two publicly supported banks (Banco di Santo Spirito and Monte di Pietà, although the latter had charitable functions). This well-established and stable financial setting was also prepared to countenance, among other things, the lavish spending of Roman aristocrats and to permit the richest of them a nearly infinite reserve of credit