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

BRAGATO

The wild lone violin player

Here is a possible interpretation of the name of this character:

  • A person original of the swamp (brac=swamp in the Italian of those times).
  • Having pants. The guy actually seems to wear a gown, and long socks, so he is more of a "s-bragato", without pants: is he talking of underpants, maybe?

But he is so proud stating how much he loves his instrument and the music he is playing, that he irradiates positivity.

“Bragato, son e Con la lira mia
n'incaco a Orfeo per Conto d'Armonia”

“I am Bragato (have pants) and with my lyre
I don't give a shit* of Orpheus about Harmony”

* Literal translation here, sorry.
That may be the reason why on this copy these words seem sort of having been scratched out ;-)

Francesco Bertelli: "Bragato" - Il Carnevale Italiano Mascherato - etching (1642)
Francesco Bertelli: "Bragato" - etching (1638-1650)

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