#venice preserved

[deathpowerphantomjester5110]

bro in my satire class said that interpreting male intimacy in media as nebulous in terms of platonic/romantic/sexual relationships is “a massive generalization” because “sex ruins friendships,” maybe ill just write an essay about menippean satire and the carnivalesque’s upheaval of traditional social dynamics and how that plays into Jaffier and Pierre’s relationship in Venice Preserved. as a treat

[familythings]

Floating Houses of Iraq: The Mesopotamian Venice

The enchanting floating houses of Iraq, known as “mudhif,” tell a remarkable story of sustainability and resilience. Often referred to as the Garden of Eden or the Mesopotamian Venice, this unique community, known as the Ma’dan, thrives in the lush wetland areas of southern Iraq, where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers meet. The Craft of Floating Homes These floating homes date back thousands of…

[city-of-ladies]

After the fall of Constantinople, Anna Notaras (d. 1507) gathered a community around her, preserving Greek culture and spreading it in ways that profoundly influenced the Italian Renaissance.

Exile from Constantinople

Anna was born into a wealthy and prestigious family. Her father, Loukas Notaras, was an influential statesman who served as mesazon (prime minister) to the last two Byzantine emperors and held the title of megas doux (Grand Duke). Her mother was from the imperial Palaiologos family, which allowed Anna to use the family name Palaiologina.

It’s possible Anna was once considered as a prospective bride for the last Byzantine emperor, Constantine XI. However, she was never officially betrothed to him and certainly never became his wife, contrary to later erroneous claims.

Sometime before 1453, Anna and her sisters, Theodora and Euphrosyne, were sent away from Constantinople, which spared them from witnessing the city’s fall during the Ottoman siege. Sultan Mehmed II executed her father and brothers, sparing only her brother Jacob.

Now in exile, Anna settled in Italy with the ample fortune from father’s bank accounts.

A Vision for a Greek Colony

By 1472, Anna had a plan: she sought to establish a Greek colony on Italian soil. She sent a delegation to Siena and received a warm welcome. A draft agreement was drawn up, deciding that the castle of Montauto in the Maremma should be handed to Anna. She was to become the rallying point of a community of 100 Greek families.

However, the project never materialized. Likely, Anna realized the land and the ruined castle were unsuitable for such a plan. By 1475, she had relocated to Venice.

A Patron of Culture

An independent woman, Anna never married, nor did she become a nun since there was no Orthodox convent she could join. Respected, wealthy, and influential, she became a prominent spokeswoman for Venice’s rapidly growing Greek community. She convinced the authorities to allow her to build an oratory in her home so the Orthodox liturgy could be celebrated in Greek.

Anna also emerged as a key cultural patron. She owned a library and supported the first dedicated Greek printing press. In 1499, her name appeared in the first book it produced: the Etymologicum Magnum. The dissemination of Greek philosophy, scholarship and litterature would influence the Italian renaissance.

Anna passed away on July 8, 1507, after a long and eventful life.

Anna’s dream of an Orthodox church in Venice was realized 30 years after her death. Among her possessions were magnificent icons brought from Constantinople; three of them are now preserved in the church of San Giorgio dei Greci.

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Further reading 

Nicol Donald M., The Byzantine Lady: Ten Portraits, 1250–1500

Nottara Paltin, Anna Notaras, la dernière Byzantine

Philippides Marios, Constantine XI Dragaš Palaeologus (1404-1453): The Last Emperor of Byzantium

[sizeofyoursoul]

How trivial all his bitterness seemed; he thought of this one whose existence had been for centuries unbroken suffering; whose youth with all its needs had been rendered truly eternal; this one whom he had failed to save, or to perfect. How many times over the years had he dreamed of such a reunion, and he had never had the courage for it; and now on this battlefield, in this time of ruin and upheaval, they were at last to meet. “My love,” he whispered. He felt himself chastened suddenly as he had been earlier when he had flown up and up over the snowy wastes past the realm of the indifferent clouds. Never had he spoken words more heartfelt. “My beautiful Amadeo,” he said. And reaching out he felt the touch of Armand’s hand. Supple still this unnatural flesh, supple as if it were human, and cool and so soft. He couldn’t help himself now. He was weeping. He opened his eyes to see the boyish figure standing before him. Oh, such an expression. So accepting, so yielding. Then he opened his arms. Centuries ago in a palazzo in Venice, he had tried to capture in imperishable pigment the quality of this love. What had been its lesson? That in all the world no two souls contain the same secret, the same gift of devotion or abandon; that in a common child, a wounded child, he had found a blending of sadness and simple grace that would forever break his heart? This one had understood him! This one had loved him as no other ever had. Through his tears he saw no recrimination for the grand experiment that had gone wrong. He saw the face that he had painted, now darkened slightly with the thing we naively call wisdom; and he saw the same love he had counted upon so totally in those lost nights. If only there were time, time to seek the quiet of the forest—some warm, secluded place among the soaring redwoods—and there talk together by the hour through long unhurried nights. But the others waited; and so these moments were all the more precious, and all the more sad. He tightened his arms around Armand. He kissed Armand’s lips, and his long loose vagabond hair. He ran his hand covetously over Armand’s shoulders. He looked at the slim white hand he held in his own. Every detail he had sought to preserve forever on canvas; every detail he had certainly preserved in death.

Marius and Armand's reunion, The Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice

[intomore]

"Svolte di Popolazio," 1956

In 1956, an extraordinary event took place in Venice, Italy, when the famous canals of the city were drained and cleaned for the first time in centuries. This remarkable undertaking was known as the "Svolte di Popolazio," or the People's Revolution, and it was a massive civic project aimed at improving the sanitation and infrastructure of Venice's historic waterways.

Over the centuries, the canals of Venice had accumulated layers of silt, debris, and waste, leading to unsanitary conditions and posing a threat to the city's architectural heritage. The decision to drain and clean the canals was made in an effort to address these issues, restore the waterways to their former glory, and preserve Venice's unique cultural and historical identity.

The draining and cleaning of the canals required meticulous planning, coordination, and labor-intensive work by a team of engineers, workers, and volunteers. Water was pumped out of the canals, revealing the muddy bottom and hidden treasures beneath the surface, such as lost artifacts, sunken boats, and centuries-old structures.

As the canals were emptied, the cleanup crews set to work removing tons of sediment, debris, and rubbish that had accumulated over the years. The process involved dredging, scrubbing, and excavating the canals to remove the layers of detritus and restore the waterways to their original depth and clarity.

The draining and cleaning of the canals was a monumental effort that captured the attention and admiration of Venetians and visitors alike. The project not only improved the sanitation and aesthetic appeal of the canals but also highlighted the importance of preserving Venice's unique heritage and architectural marvels for future generations to enjoy.

The event symbolized a sense of civic pride, community effort, and commitment to the preservation of Venice's cultural legacy. The draining and cleaning of the canals in 1956 remain a historic moment in the city's history, showcasing the resilience, ingenuity, and enduring beauty of Venice's iconic waterways.

[jimmorrison-blues]

Photographer Bobby Klein talks about this photo shoot: “We arrived in Venice in the morning and walked along the canals. This bridge has been preserved in its original form in Venice, which was designed in the early 1900s. On the way there, in my car, the guys heard ”Break On Through" on the radio for the first time," and everyone was delighted. They understood what it was like to have a hit. " January-February 1967, Venice Beach, California. © Bobby Klein.

[dominadespina]

WHAT HAPPENED TO COUNTESS MARIA OF SALONA?

Maria Fadrique was born around 1370, the daughter of the last Catalan Count of Salona, Don Louis Fadrique, and his Greek wife, Princess Helena Fadrique, also known as Helena Kantakouzene or The Despina, Helena Asenina.

Not much information about her early childhood has been preserved. We do know that she grew up as an only child to the noble couple and was likely prepared and claimed as the only heir to the County of Salona.

In 1382, at the age of 12, she succeeded her father and became the Countess of Salona in her own right. However, due to her age, she was deemed too young to manage the county, so her mother, the Dowager Countess Helena Fadrique, took charge as regent. That same year, she was betrothed to Bernat Hug, a son of Felip Dalmau, but the betrothal was annulled.

Despite reaching the age of maturity in 1386, at 16, an age when she was now deemed fully capable of managing the County of Salona, her mother remained in power over all state affairs, and Maria had yet to step a toe into the world of politics. That same year, her mother betrothed her to a son of the Serbian Emperor Symeon Uros for political reasons, but this betrothal, like the first one was annulled. That same year, she was betrothed to an alienated associate of the King of Aragon, but the wedding never took place.

From the years of 1388-1391, Helena refused to repay damages to a Venetian citizen who suffered the loss of property aboard a ship from Ancona by her late husband, Don Luis Fadrique, in 1380. This made her mother very unpopular with Venice.

Her mother was quite hated by the people, who most likely would have preferred Maria to take charge over state affairs, but this never happened. Even at the age of 20, Maria had not taken charge over state affairs. This decision to keep the Dowager Countess in charge would eventually cause their deaths.

Though Necdet Sakaoğlu in his work “Bu Mülkün Kadın Sultanları” claims she was betrothed to Manuel II in 1393, I have not seen another source to confirm this claim.

In this same work, Sakaoğlu tells the story of the capture of Maria and her mother in late 1393 or early 1394. “Turkish soldiers captured the Frankish ship that was bringing Maria to Istanbul in the Dardanelles and captured its occupants.” - Necdet Sakaoğlu, “Bu Mülkün Kadın Sultanları,” pg 88.

Upon meeting the beautiful and affianced Countess, Sultan Yildirim Bayezid Han was smitten with her, and both the mother and the daughter were brought to his harem in Edirne, and Maria became his concubine, yet in other accounts he actually married her.

The Italian pilgrim Nicholas of Martoni, returning from Jerusalem by way of Greece in 1395, crossed the Gulf of Corinth from Vostitza (Aigion) to Vitrinitza in April. He was told that the district of Vitrinitza was then held by "the Grand Turk" who had acquired it from the lord of Salona ("Dominici de Sola") whose only daughter he had married. The Byzantine Family of Kantakouzenos (Cantacuzenus) Ca. 1100-1460: A Genealogical and Prosopographical, pg 163.

That same year in 1394, Helena died, but it is not clear if it was due to an execution or other reasons. According to Laonikos Chalkokondyles, the Countess Helena disgraced herself and brought shame upon the people of "Delphi" by committing her authority into the hands of her lover, a priest called Strateus, for which reason the Archbishop of Larissa denounced her to the Basileus (Sultan) and gave him the pretext for taking over the County of Salona. - The Byzantine Family of Kantakouzenos (Cantacuzenus) Ca. 1100-1460: A Genealogical and Prosopographical, pg 161.

As for Maria, she was executed a year later in 1395 after Bayezid allegedly found her unworthy of him, and eventually lost interest in her. However, this reason seems highly improbable.

When Bayezid lost interest in her, he wouldn’t have executed her but instead discarded her or even sent her away to the old palace in Bursa. The reason for her execution must be something else, either she was executed for political reasons or she went against the rules or even committed a crime, or even struck his ego in the wrong place. Nonetheless, it is highly unlikely for a Sultan to execute a concubine/wife of his because he lost interest in her.

( Sources: The Byzantine Family of Kantakouzenos (Cantacuzenus) Ca. 1100-1460: A Genealogical and Prosopographical, Necdet Sakaoğlu, “Bu Mülkün Kadın Sultanları".)

[shieldofiron]

Hi!! Its been a while,,,

I’d like to throw in Big Billy, who finally moved out of Hawkins back to home, who works as a surf instructor in Cali, the whole shebang-

Long, curly, sunbleached hair ☀️

Golden tan with the cutest freckles 🌊

Stacked up muscles covered in sand 💛

Steve is a tired, overworked business man who just got transferred to Cali and while hes on the beach strolling along? Who does he see? Why nothing but a MASSIVE Adonis of a man sipping on a fosters- but *gasp* Billy???

Got Steve fainting like a southern belle, right into those massive arms 🤤

<3 It has been a while! I adore this.

The sky is peach. No. Steve just has his eyes closed.

He cracks one and groans.

"Whoa there, Harrington," Billy grins, that same old gorgeous grin. He's gotten bigger, or maybe he's just so close. "Overheated in that suit of yours."

Steve covered his eyes, "Is it really you?"

"Don't cream your slacks," Billy snaps his gum, "Come on. Let me get you in the shade."

Steve allows himself to be half dragged half carried, not sure which is more manly. Well, he just fainted, so he didn't know what he was trying to preserve by holding onto any dignity.

"There you go," Billy's practically manhandling him, and that shouldn't be so hot. The dune does feel cool, as does Billy's hand on his forehead. Billy strips him of his jacket with sure hands, his long hair just brushing over the back of Steve's hand in a whisper fine kiss. He was so big he was blocking out the sun, shoulders as wide as...

God.

"How are you here right now?"

"I live just down the beach," Billy says, tipping his chin up towards the Venice side of the beach. The wild side.

"No, how are you here, in California. Max said you skipped town for Chicago," Steve said.

Billy grinned, "A clever ruse."

Steve just swallowed, watching Billy tug off his necktie. He wished Billy would just... pull.

"You live nearby?" He whispered. His mouth felt dry. Billy was wet. Glistening. Hung with the ocean like it was his regalia.

Billy's eyes flashed up to Steve's, and then down to his own scarred hands.

"Yeah," Billy just slid the knot of silk from between his fingers. "Harrington."

"Hargrove," Steve said.

"You got heat stroke or something?" Billy licks his lips. They probably taste like the ocean.

"Wanna go talk?" Steve says.

Billy blinks at him. Dolly blue eyes still.

"Yeah, Harrington. You know how I love to talk," Billy said after a still moment.

They almost left a silk tie in the sand. Steve went back to retrieve it.

[rpgsandbox]

The Hidden Isle is a pen and paper RPG that uses Tarot cards instead of dice, set in the 16th century on the secretive island of Dioscoria. It focuses on roleplaying and collaborative storytelling.

This is a game about swashbuckling adventures across Europe and the Middle East, stealing forbidden texts from oppressive regimes, protecting an island of outcasts using ancient magic, and toppling empires with just the right speech at just the right time.

If you are familiar with Tarot then The Hidden Isle will resonate with you all the more, but no experience with Tarot is necessary. To help you feel like a mystical oracle and stay inspired, we’ll provide you with tables and guides to help you quickly understand each card draw.

Narrative heavy, rules light. While the game does have rules, their purpose is to enrich and drive your narratives. The game is designed as a collaborative storytelling experience.

Play and character growth intertwined. Each character has a burden—an emotional weight they carry—and an ideal to live up to. Become your truest self, or succumb to your worst impulses.

A vibrant 16th-century world. Dioscoria is described in loving detail, as are major cities of the time such as London, Istanbul and Venice. No historical knowledge is needed.

A wide array of characters. Play as an Illusionist, Scoundrel, Occultist, Prowler, Champion or Hunter. More characters are planned for stretch goals.

GM can plan or improvise. Scenarios can be planned ahead of time by the Seer, or improvised at the start of a session for GMs short on time.

Tarot cards instead of dice. They’re used for everything from scenario inspiration, to character backstories, to divination, to skill checks. No Tarot experience is required. Any deck can be used, but we recommend the Sefirot deck.

Dioscoria: a hidden isle of sages, adventurers, and ancient wisdom. Within the walls of this secret city are gathered the misunderstood, the persecuted, those unjustly punished for the way they live. Here they can flourish, and return to the world to wage their secret war against injustice and ignorance when they are ready.

1562: It is a dangerous and disrupted time. Europe has embraced the innovations of gunpowder, and is using it to tear itself apart along religious lines. The Ottoman Empire is poised to break either Vienna to its west or the Safavid Empire to its east. European colonisers are spreading along the coastlines of the world like a hungry parasite. The Inquisition accuses, tortures and executes its victims across the Catholic world.

It is also a world of alchemy and sorcery. English magicians pry the mysteries of the stars. Ottoman scholars unravel the hidden design of the creator. Dioscorian mystics have mastered techniques to peer beyond the veil of time, and steer the world towards sanity.

Into this maelstrom step the agents of Dioscoria. Dioscoria's actors, magicians, assassins and paladins stand ready to defend the helpless and preserve wisdom. As these agents tackle scheme after scheme, and topple tyrants, cults and demonic forces, will they live up to their ideal selves, or embrace the darker parts of their own humanity?

Character generation: Characters’ backstories—their childhoods, their adult life, their emotional burdens and their ideals—are generated by consulting the Tarot for inspiration.

Burdens and ideals: Every character has a burden and an ideal. These are habits that threaten to engulf you, or values you are striving to live up to. Use them during play to make challenges easier, or become the person you want to be.

Skill checks: The Agent and the Seer each draw a hand of cards, based on the Agent’s skill and the challenge’s difficulty. Each plays a single card; the highest wins. The suit’s skill (swords, wands, cups or pentacles) acts as a trump suit.

Fortune cards: To avert failure, Agents may spend a fortune card to turn a failure into a success. Agents can jump in and help each other when all seems lost.

Solo mode: A favored Stretch Goal has been reached. Now you can play as an Agent in solitaire mode. The Cabinet of Extremis has chosen you to carry out their will on more dangerous missions than regular Agents undertake. You can also find the preliminary rules among the playtest materials.

Visions: Each Agent is blessed before each mission, and can receive glimpses of the past, present or future. Visions can be used to gain useful information, peer into a character’s fate, or add tension and stakes to a scene.

Harm: Harm can be physical or spiritual. Agents are usually harmed because of a failed challenge. Harm can severely impede an Agent, and lead to permanent trauma if untreated.

Abilities: Each character class has unique abilities. Occultists can curse with the evil eye. Performers can imitate their target perfectly. Hunters can spread panic by dispatching their enemies from the shadows. Just make sure your ability isn’t causing you more harm than you can tolerate!

Contacts: Your friends and allies in Dioscoria can help you grow. These personal connections help you train, prepare and reflect on yourself, and can teach you abilities you would otherwise never have access to.

Territories: Dioscoria, and other cities, change over time: in response to player actions, or inspired by Tarot draws. This can create a unique geopolitical landscape: a world that branches off from our own history.

Scenario divination: For GMs who don’t want to prep ahead of time, scenarios can be generated on the fly by drawing Tarot cards and consulting the “Vision guide”. If you chain these scenarios together, you can generate entire campaigns with nothing more than a Tarot deck and a little imagination.

The Hidden Isle is inspired by Forged in the Dark, and its core is formed from that system’s style and dynamics. However, this is not just a reskin with Tarot cards: The Hidden Isle is an original and coherent game with its own feel and rhythm.

Play The Hidden Isle now!

If you’re curious how the rules come together, and how it feels to play, why not try The Hidden Isle yourself? To get started, just download the playtest materials:

Download Playtest Kit

We also have two pre-made scenarios for you that can be played immediately:

The Rialto Scrolls: Rescue a scholar from the Jewish Ghetto before her life's work falls into covetous hands.

The Face of the Enemy: Foil a spy sent to Dioscoria to bring the island under control.

And if you don't have a group at the ready, try the game with the preliminary solo mode!

The Hidden Isle – an A4-size, gold-foiled, hardcover book of roughly 230 pages – contains the complete game rules, sections describing Dioscoria and the world of the sixteenth century, and all character classes and supplementary tables.

230+ pages of beautiful, elegantly laid out material. Bound in hardcover, clad in gold foil.

Complete game rules, including character creation, NPC generation and scenario generation using Tarot cards.

Five classes, each with eight unique abilities!

A flexible magic system featuring seven schools of magic and seven magical sources.

33 specialized items for your Agents to draw on during each mission.

24 historically inspired magical creatures.

A full, dedicated chapter on Dioscoria: its culture, origins, and a tour of the city.

A practical "Advice for Seers" chapter, giving you extra tools to help you run a game of The Hidden Isle.

A detailed section on the world of the sixteenth century,containing extensive lore on five major cities of the time, from various parts of the known world.

Tarot tables and references to help you understand any card, giving you multiple prompts for any situation to aid inspiration.

Additional materials for printing at home such as character sheets, reference sheets, Tarot tables are available via digital download.

Kickstarter campaign ends: Sat, October 28 2023 3:55 PM BST

Website: [Causa Creations] [Sefirot Games] [facebook] [twitter] [instagram]

[planet-gay-comic]

Harvest and Trade Metropolises of the 14th Century 🍂🍁✨

A Melting Pot of Cultures and Hidden Romances

The 14th century was a time of transformation, as Europe flourished and became a hub of trade and cultural exchange. Cities like Venice, Genoa, and Florence evolved into powerful trade metropolises, as did northern cities such as Bruges, Lübeck, and Cologne, where merchants from all over the world gathered to exchange goods, knowledge, and stories. These bustling centers, especially during autumn markets that celebrated the harvest season, were filled with stalls showcasing exotic fabrics, precious spices, and rare treasures, creating a scene of constant activity and adventure.

Yet behind the commerce and economic hustle lay deeper, more human stories. Merchants from different regions and cultures met in these cities not only as business partners but as people who shared the joys and challenges of life. Their journeys were long and perilous, and arriving in a new city was often met with relief and a celebration of life. It’s easy to imagine that in these moments of pause and festivity, connections were formed that went beyond mere trade.

Michael Rocke's work "Forbidden Friendships: Homosexuality and Male Culture in Renaissance Florence" (1996) compellingly highlights how close friendships and connections between men developed in Florence and other trade cities. Rocke describes how the complex social structure of the Renaissance allowed men to maintain intimate and often emotional relationships that surpassed business interests. In some cases, these connections have been preserved in archives through letters and private records, suggesting that such relationships were sometimes romantic in nature. The intertwining of trade and personal life provided space for deeper bonds that may have been perceived as mere partnerships in public but held greater meaning in private.

These connections often remained in the shadows of official historical records, but with a closer look, the streets and parks of these cities tell stories of alliances that involved hearts as well as gold.

Text supported by GPT-4o, Claude 3.5 Sonnet Images generated with SDXL, overworked with SD-1.5/SDXL inpainting and composing.

[lesbians4armand]

Part Two of my Preacher’s Daughter is an Armand Album thesis for @nightcolorz 

Thoroughfare

I don’t have too much to say on this song as it’s one of the less Armand songs of the album imo, but there are a few bits still. 

The references to California and the west coast feels very much like San Francisco devil’s minion but not enough to really elaborate. 

Gibson Girl

“You wanna love me right now, You wanna get alone with me, You wanna get my clothes off, And hurt me” For so long , Armand’s perception of love has been so possessive and physical. If someone loves him, they want to own him and they want to fuck him, this is what he was taught too young and it was proven right again and again.

“Says he’s in love with my body, that’s why he’s fucking it up” He’s told that Marius loves him, loves his body, yet is continually hurt and abused and sold until he dies and his body is made that of a vampire because Marius just loves him too much to let him die for real. Him, or what he can offer?

“Then he says to me, Baby if it feels good then it can’t be bad” Being taught that if something is pleasurable then it can’t be bad, whether it be adult’s wanting to fuck him when he’s too young, or killing and drinking blood, or having his blood drunk. If what Marius does to him feels good, then it can’t be bad or wrong like the ones who actually hurt him, right?

“You wanna fuck me right now, You wanna see me on my knees, You wanna rip these clothes off, And hurt me” The lyrics repeat, this time more violently. This again reminds me of the banquet scene, Bianca’s cousin’s and other men wanting to hurt and degrade Amadeo, then Lord Harlech wanting not just to sleep with him but to own him, and trying and succeeding to kill him when he refuses.

Ptolemaea

“You love blood too much, but not like I do.” Armand was addicted to Marius’s blood before he was turned, just as Daniel was addicted to Armand’s. This running theme of obsession with the blood just hits me in such a way. 

“You’d do well to say yes to me” This line is barely a whisper in the song but it’s very Marius being very controlling over Amadeo, not truly giving him a choice as to what he does. 

“Saying I’m the one he’s gonna take me” Amadeo is Marius’s favourite, over any of the other palazzo boys. He is the only one he would bring into the blood, for better or for worse. 

“Calling me the one, I’m the white light, beautiful, finite” Again, Amadeo is the only one he would give the dark gift to, but he also gives him a diamond ring because “diamonds are the white light of God” which is what this lyric always reminds me of. Heis beautiful of course, but as a mortal it’s finite, Marius wants to preserve such beauty, even speaking about what a beautiful corpse Amadeo would be. 

“You poor thing, sweet mourning lamb, there’s nothing you can do, It’s already been done.” I’m not explaining this one. It just is.

“What fear a man like you brings upon a woman like me” I could talk more about Amadeo here but you know what this lyric really reminds me of? Show Armand revealing his history of sexual abuse to Louis to be told that Louis once ran a brothel. What fear that must be, knowing your partner will never really understand this part of you because he was the one behind doing it to others. Of course, Armand is not a woman but the point very much stands.

The repeated cries of stop and the scream speak for themselves in this song I think.

August Underground & Televangelism

Putting the two instrumentals together as I won’t talk about them much, but the deeply horror vibe of the first and the calmer, sadder vibe of the second is very telling of Armand's story.

Sun Bleached Flies

“What I wouldn't do to be in church this Sunday” Being raised so religious then losing it so abruptly it makes him sick in his horror and longing in Venice. Before then, he had God, and now nothing. 

“God loves you, but not enough to save you” Same thing, Andrei was so devoted to his saints and his prayers he was deemed holy, and then later given the name Amadeo, beloved of God. God loved him, but he was not saved. Not from the slave traders or the brothel owners, not from Marius. Then, even at death he was not saved, forced to remain eternally young and eternally dead. And again, when taken by Santino he was not saved by God. Beloved, never saved.

“So I said fine, cause that’s how my daddy raised me, if they strike once then you just hit them twice as hard.” Violence was so normalised to Armand by Marius, he doesn’t even blink at it any more. 

“We all know how it goes, the more it hurts the less it shows” Armand keeps so much of his story and pain and trauma within it barely shows through, blocking his mind even to much older more powerful vampires like Khayman, only revealing small amounts. 

“And that’s why I could never go back home” He can never really return to his real home of Kiev, because he’s not Andrei any more. It’s his homeland but not his home.Even Venice he can never really return, Marius and the palazzo are no longer there, he isn’t Amadeo any more. All his homes are ghosts. 

“But I always knew that in the end, no one was coming to save me, so I just prayed and I keep praying and praying” Same vibe as “God loves you but not enough to save you.” He will never be saved, no matter how much he prays.

Strangers

“I tried to be good, am I no good?” Armand submits to others so much because he so desperately wants to be good for something, at something, be useful, more than just “having a skill.” It’s deeply heartbreaking. 

“With my memory restricted to a Polaroid in evidence” I’m actually writing a fic with this title atm about Armand and the Vecchio painting but it’s just so fitting. He has little memory of that time, little connection to that identity, yet it’s painted and displayed on a wall for millions to see, still on his knees with torn clothing, always serving.

“I just wanted to be yours, can I be yours?” Whether it be Marius, Lestat, Louis, Daniel, anyone, Armand wants to be loved more than anything, but not just loved. He wants to be owned, for the love to be all encompassing, more than anything else to the other person. They can’t have anyone else because Armand needs them so badly to be devoted to him, to show him the love he’s never known, to provide an end to his awful loneliness. He wants to be theirs. This is why he kills Claudia, breaks down a door with an axe, gives Daniel his blood and the dark gift, abandons the coven for Lestat. 

“If I’m turning in your stomach, am I making you feel sick” Both the references to grief and consumption here are so good. Does feeding from Armand make them feel sick, or is it the guilt in what they have done to him, the horror in knowing what he has been through? 

“Don’t think about it too hard you’ll never sleep a wink at night again” Ending on this lyric that perfectly encapsulates how I feel about Armand. I think about him too hard.

[manynarrators]

Thought of the day: Armand has spent more time in France than Lestat by several orders of magnitude. Lestat is born and raised there, but leaves when he’s around 20. While he does come back, as evidenced in moments like the trial, he spends a long time away. Meanwhile Armand was the leader of the Parisian coven for like… 250-300 years, and then the Theatre for another 150. Armand’s spent most of his life in Paris.

I just feel like the amount of time he’s spent there is something I never properly considered, especially when compared to the Frenchman.

How does he feel about watching the city itself changing around him? About the fact that Les Innocents no longer exists? French was fourth and poorest of his languages once, I’m sure it isn’t anymore (speaking of, French, Italian, anyone want to weigh in on what languages three and four are?)

When does the Theatre become an institution on the Boulevard du Temple? Does it as the neighbourhood changes in its entirety? Are there old bones of his former coven members preserved in the Louvre alongside the paintings with him in them?

Is there relief or grief when Les Innocents is destroyed? How about when the theatre goes up in flames? Does he read the news articles talking about its destruction?

Like we all know there’s Venice shaped traumas and rose tinted lenses some days, but tell me more about Armand in Paris. Can he really live somewhere for the 4/5th of his life give it take and then walk away with barely a backward glance.

If he ever returns, what is that like for him?

[spacelazarwolf]

I’m an Italian ger who’s being converted in an Ashkenazi community. I want to connect to my culture so badly!!! Is there any books you’d recommend, Italki food you love, or special rituals you do on Shabbat / during the week that are influenced by being Italian? I’d love to introduce more into my own practice!!

yeah! also this ended up being probably more in depth than you were asking for so apologies lmao.

so for some context (in case you or anyone reading this is not already aware), italki jews are a specific group of jews within italy. italki isn't like a nationality, so it's not a synonym for "italian jew", it's more like a regional identity. people from rome, naples, and venice are all italian, but they're also roman, neapolitan, and venetian. even if they move somewhere else, they'll likely still retain that regional identity. italy didn't become a unified republic until 1871, so culture and language and food varied a lot by region (which it still does), and that's true of jewish communities too, especially those that came from other places.

italki jews are jews who were brought to italy by the romans or traveled to rome to be merchants, and have been there since roman times. ashkenazi jews came during the middle ages, primarily settling in the north in places like venice. it's very worth noting that ashkenazim in italy, with the exception of one or two communities, have significantly different musical tradition, pronunciation, language, and food than other ashkenazi communities. sephardi jews came mostly after the expulsion from spain and portugal, though there were some living in sicily and southern italy.

with all that in mind, i'd definitely recommend doing some research into the demographics of the jewish community in the place you or your family is from. if you already live there, it should be much easier!

resources:

the jews in italy- their contribution to the development and diffusion of jewish heritage

cookbooks by edda servi machlin (she has several, but some are hard to find)

cucina ebraica

i highly recommend checking out torah.it. it's a fantastic archive of recordings and pdfs all about italian jewry. you will spend hours there and still have only scratched the surface.

rabbi barbara aiello also has a lot of different resources.

i highly recommend checking out the work of leo levi for research on italian jewish music. he spent years interviewing and recording chazzanut, scholars, and other community leaders and saved so many italian jewish melodies from complete extinction. (i believe all these recordings are uploaded to torah.it as well)

primo levi is another italian jew to research. he wrote many books that are available for purchase, including a memoir about his survival in auschwitz. there is also an institute in his name dedicated to the preservation, study, and celebration of italian judaism.

ensemble bet hagat put out an album of reimagined italian jewish music a few years ago and i believe they are also working on a second one. it is beautiful.

anyway that's probably enough nerding out, i can get to the more personal stuff and answering the actual questions you asked me now lmao.

right now, it's just me in my apartment so there's a lot of traditions i can't do, but if you have family or friends you can invite over, there are a lot of lovely traditions you can incorporate. i use a three branched candelabra for my shabbat candles. the middle candle is lit first and used to light the other two, as you would with hanukkah candles. if you have multiple people at your table, you can give them their own individual candles, in which case you will light the shamash (middle candle), pass it around the table for each person to light their individual candle, then the host will light the two other candles.

for food, i love making riso del sabato. it's a risotto dish with saffron and it is delicious. there's also a pumpkin ravioli in brown butter and sage sauce in cucina ebraica that is to die for.

[tomafome]

Zoran Antonio Mušič, Nous ne sommes pas les derniers (We Are Not the Last), 1970. Watercolor on paper signed, titled and dated, 59 x 75 cm. Collection of Patti Cadby Birch/Everett B. Birch, Spring Bay, St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands (label verso). Mušic (1909–2005) was a Slovenian painter and graphic artist. In 1944, he was arrested by the Gestapo in Venice and placed in the concentration camp in Dachau. While there, he created over 200 drawings documenting his life. He was able to preserve around 100 of these works after the liberation of the camp in April 1945. It was these drawings that served as the inspiration for his most acclaimed series, Nous ne sommes pas les derniers—this painting belongs to that series.

[reasonsforhope]

"We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Garifuna International Indigenous Film Festival (GIIFF) on November 9th-November 12th, 2023, a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to supporting and preserving the Garifuna nation and all indigenous cultures being held at the Electric Lodge located in Venice, California.

This unique film festival will create a platform for filmmakers, artists, and community leaders/members to showcase their works while emphasizing the importance of cultural diversity and representation. The Garifuna people, originating from the Caribbean Island of St. Vincent, possess a rich tradition and enduring heritage that deserves global recognition. The Garifuna International Indigenous Film Festival aims to bring this vibrant culture to the forefront and shed light on the struggles and triumphs of the Garifuna nation and other indigenous communities worldwide.

The underlying objective of GIIFF is to promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of indigenous traditions, values, and stories. Through the power of film, GIIFF aims to bridge gaps, foster dialogue, and debunk stereotypes surrounding indigenous cultures.

This multidisciplinary approach will not only provide a unique experience for audiences, but it will also contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage for future generations.

GIIFF will feature a diverse selection of thought provoking-international films, documentaries, workshops, cultural presentations, and short films that center around indigenous cultures. The festival strives to create an inclusive space, where filmmakers and artists can engage with industry leaders, intellectuals, and audiences who share a passion for the sense of community and collaboration, encouraging meaningful conversations and connections.

This inclusive space not only allows industry leaders and intellectuals to engage with these powerful stories but also invites audiences from all walks of life to immerse themselves in the beauty and diversity of indigenous cultures. The GIIFF is more than just a film festival; it is a celebration of heritage, resilience, and the power of storytelling."

-via Garifuna Indigenous Film Festival, October 2023