L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 6 NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS intent to conquer the entire world." S i n c e t h e e a r l y d a y s o f January 2024, Venice has been a continuous series of events dedicated to Marco Polo, starting with the Carni- val titled, To the East: The W o n d r o u s J o u r n e y o f M a r c o P o l o , w h e r e t h e esteemed traveler was hon- ored throughout the munici- pality, on islands and main- l a n d a l i k e , w i t h performances and events of all kinds. A remarkable coin- cidence was that the Chinese New Year fell during the car- nival, which was also cele- brated with due festivity. The calendar for 2024 is brimming with initiatives: s c h o l a r l y e v e n t s t h a t w i l l delve into the academic study and international dissemina- tion of Marco Polo's legacy, along with exhibitions featur- ing various events focused on Venice and the depiction of the Asian world as narrated in The Travels of Marco Polo. Special focus will be given to engaging the younger gener- ation, as seen in the Marco P o l o A l p h a b e t p r o j e c t , which aims to involve a thou- sand young students from Venice and Turkey under the banner of peace. Among the most anticipated events is the exhibition The Worlds of Marco Polo: The Journey of a Venetian Merchant in the Thirteenth Centu- ry (Doge's Palace, April 6 – September 29), offering a chance to revisit the physical, political, and human geogra- phy that Marco Polo encoun- tered in Asia. This exhibition w i l l s h o w c a s e o v e r 3 0 0 pieces from Venetian collec- t i o n s , m a j o r I t a l i a n a n d European institutions, and l o a n s f r o m m u s e u m s i n Armenia, China, Qatar, and Canada, underscoring the value of cultural inclusivity, o p e n n e s s , a n d c u r i o s i t y towards knowledge and the u n f a m i l i a r — a t h e m e o f enduring significance today. Kicking off the celebra- t i o n s w a s t h e M o c e n i g o P a l a c e M u s e u m w i t h t h e exhibit The Axis of Time: Suzhou Silk Fabrics for Clothing (January 11 – Feb- ruary 29), featuring original creations, fabrics, and repli- cas of ancient garments to highlight the millennia-old techniques that made Jiang- nan silk, admired and men- t i o n e d b y M a r c o P o l o , famous. Additionally, from April 29 to September 30, Mocenigo Palace will host a selection of stage costumes and sketches from the unfor- gettable Rai Internazionale p r o d u c t i o n M a r c o P o l o (1982), which featured inter- n a t i o n a l c o l l a b o r a t i o n s , including that of China. In October, the annual calligra- phy art highlight, with mas- terclasses and the exhibi- t i o n T h e W a y s o f W r i t i n g a t t h e C o r r e r Museum's Sala delle Quat- tro Porte, will be dedicated to Arab and Chinese calli- graphic cultures. While there are few defin- i t i v e s o u r c e s o n t h e P o l o family, it is believed their origins lie in what is today's Slavic land, specifically the Dalmatia region (Šibenik, to be exact), though at the time, it was under the dominion of t h e S e r e n i s s i m a . T h u s , despite some attempts to portray him as a Croatian icon, Marco Polo is, in every a s p e c t , a V e n e t i a n . I t ' s important to note that there i s n o c e r t a i n t y a b o u t t h e family's exact place of origin. N i c c o l ò a n d M a t t e o , t h e enterprising Venetian mer- chants, embarked eastward in 1250 to expand their fami- ly's trade. Their long journey proved to be extremely prof- itable and fruitful in terms of the connections made. They returned to Venice nineteen years later, when Niccolò d i s c o v e r e d h i s w i f e h a d p a s s e d a w a y a n d h i s s o n Marco was ready to join his f a t h e r a n d u n c l e i n t h e i r c o m m e r c i a l v e n t u r e s — a journey that, just two years later, would become their most significant inheritance to the Western world. The prestigious Polo fami- ly line came to an end in the 1 5 t h c e n t u r y . O f t h e t w o branches, Marco's originated from the area around San Giovanni Grisostomo, in the Cannaregio district. Near the church of the same name, one finds Sotoportego del Milion (named after Marco's work, whose original title in I t a l i a n i s I l M i l i o n e ) a n d Corte del Milion, close to which stands the Malibran Theatre, built on the site of the Polo residence after it was destroyed by fire in the late 16th century. A plaque above the theatre entrance commemorates "the historic tenants." T h e A t e n e o V e n e t o , Venice's oldest active cultur- a l i n s t i t u t i o n f o u n d e d b y Napoleonic decree in 1812, is at the forefront of the Marco Polo celebrations. Among t h e p l a n n e d e v e n t s , a n autumn feature is a complete reading of "The Travels of Marco Polo," open to schools and the public. A l e s s a n d r a S c h i a v o n , a r c h i v i s t a t t h e S t a t e A r c h i v e s o f V e n i c e a n d involved in the critical edi- t i o n p r o j e c t o f t h e P o l o D i p l o m a t i c C o d e x , w h i c h encompasses all currently known documentary sources o n M a r c o P o l o , e x p l a i n s : "Marco Polo's great legacy- lesson is in mental openness and pragmatism: qualities that characterized the mer- chants of the time. The econ- omy of Venice, in the early centuries after 1000, was unilaterally directed towards the world of trade and condi- tioned by the need for raw materials the city lacked, such as cereals. Later, as the q u a l i t y o f l i f e i m p r o v e d , t h e r e w a s a d e m a n d f o r meat, oil, wine, spices, and fine fabrics. Goods that were needed or in high demand in international markets were sought, and business was done with those who owned or could guarantee them. D e s p i t e p a p a l b a n s a n d edicts against trading with the infidels, the Saracens, such directives were ignored in Venice. It was this determination to fuel the ambitions of these young men, who sought to follow in the venerable foot- steps of their fathers. They u n d e r s t o o d t h e i r r o l e i n e n h a n c i n g t h e w e a l t h o f their family and securing their position within the elite families that aimed to gov- ern their city-state. But the Polo expedition's success undoubtedly benefited from a favorable climate. Marco Polo, along with his father and uncle—who were not the first Westerners to reach or write about those lands—was f o r t u n a t e t o b e w a r m l y received and able to gain favor at the imperial court because the Pax Mongolica was established, making his presence seen as an opportu- n i t y t o c o n n e c t w i t h t h e other side of the world. "In a period marked by peace," Schiavon concludes, "for- eigners are not only met with interest and curiosity but are also generally welcomed and assimilated, often playing a role in the local governance system, as was the case for the Polos." Ca' Foscari Universi- t y o f V e n i c e e n r i c h e s t h e year with a diverse lineup of events. The offerings range from the Ca' Foscari Short Film Festival to the Cross- roads of Civilizations Inter- national Literature Festival, alongside theatrical perfor- mances at Ca' Foscari The- atre and a comprehensive i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o n f e r e n c e d e d i c a t e d t o M a r c o P o l o , focusing on his impact across philological, historical, and cultural spheres. In a special s h o w c a s e a t C a ' F o s c a r i Esposizioni, located within the university's main build- ing, an April exhibition will display artifacts from the col- lections of Uzbek museums. This initiative, conceived by the Venice 2002 Foundation, leads to the Marco Polo's Garments and Tradition- al Silk Attire of Suzhou exhibition. This event is designed as a cultural bridge, offering insights into the tex- tile mastery that connects the distant worlds of Suzhou and Venice. Tiziana Lippiello, the Rector of Ca' Foscari Univer- sity, emphasizes the signifi- cance of these events: "This celebration is a chance to reexamine Marco Polo's life beyond his legendary status. He was an influential figure, acting as an ambassador for I t a l y a n d t h e V e n e t i a n Republic, especially recog- nized in Asia. This year, we aim to share the story of this merchant and the enduring legacy of his extraordinary travels that linked Europe with Asia." Today, Venice grapples with the challenges of over- tourism, balancing millions of tourists with local life in its compact, historic setting. Yet, Marco Polo's adventures remind us of the value of exploring the unknown and f o s t e r i n g m u t u a l c u l t u r a l exchanges. His journey to an unfamiliar land, where he was embraced and where he b o t h l e a r n e d a n d t a u g h t , mirrors the potential for con- tinuous cultural, commercial, a n d s o c i a l i n t e r a c t i o n s b e t w e e n V e n i c e a n d t h e wider world today. Tiziana Lippiello, rector of the Ca' Foscari University, explains: "This celebration is a chance to reexamine Marco Polo's life beyond his legendary status. He was an influential figure, acting as an ambassador for Italy and the Venetian Republic" CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 An illustration of Marco Polo. This year, Venice celebrates the 700th anniver- sary of his death. North Wind Picture Archives / Alamy Stock Photo

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