Wide view of Venice: Piazza San Marco - Riva degli Schiavoni

FUOCHI ARTIFICIALI on Fat Thursday

... the Fireworks which close the day celebrations

Pieter Van der Aa: "Volo, Fuochi Artificiali et altri Giuochi del Giovedí Grasso"
(Flight, Fireworks and other Fat Thursday Games) - copper engraving (ca. 1720)

Venice was having trades with China since the end of the XIII century thanks to the Marco Polo expeditions on the Silk Road, so how could Venetians not be thrilled by the idea of using fireworks to make a celebration?

So the ending of the Fat Thursday celebrations was a show of color, fire and explosions, for the large public attending: the nobles and rich on the grandstands or balconies, the "others" down on the ground.


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