Exploring 15th-century Venice with the Historical Regatta

Would you like to see how Venice was like in the 15th century? Then the first Sunday of September is the day you’ve been waiting for. Every year, this is the date of the Historical Regatta, which gathers on the Grand Canal some competitions and a historical parade. What do Bevilacqua’s silk fabrics have to do with it, you may be wondering. Well, we’ve somehow taken part in the event, too.

What’s the Venice Historical Regatta?

Just so you’re warned: on Sunday, September 3rd it’ll be hard to find any free spot on the banks of the Grand Canal. Especially along the stretch between the Rialto Bridge and the main seat of Venice’s University, Ca’ Foscari.

This is going to be the course of the competitions between pupparini, mascarete, caorline and gondolini. No, they aren’t weird animals: they’re just traditional Venetian rowboats.

They’ll challenge one another during a competition, called “regatta” that dates back – at least – to the Middle Ages. Even vedutisti (“view painters”) like Canaletto painted it. It’s a tradition Venetians have keeping up for centuries, then. But the rivalry between the city’s rowing associations has never faded.

But before all of this starts, at 4.00 PM you’ll go back in time. To June 6th, 1489.

A re-enactment with 15th-century costumes and fabrics

This is when Caterina Cornaro came back to her homeland, Venice, in grand style. But the occasion wasn’t a happy one: she had been forced to renounce her role as queen of Cyprus and transfer that power to the Republic of Venice.

But the Doge didn’t leave her wanting for anything, when she finally accepted the abdication and returned to Venice. And the historical water procession of the Regatta can give you an idea of that splendour: dozens of boats with wonderful figureheads, gilded decorations and precious fabrics.

And of course, there are figurants with period costumes. From the Doge to the rowers, everybody wears brightly coloured Renaissance clothes. Take the Doge, for example: his robe is scarlet (or gold), so with the same colour as the robes of Venetian Senators. But you can distinguish him from the members of the Parliament, because of:

• the ducal horn: it’s a hat consisting of a round gold band and a cap with a pointed end, worn over a white bonnet;
• the cloak: it can be red or golden and be accompanied by an ermine cape.

Beside the “Prince of the Serenissima”, during the procession, there’s his wife, the Dogaressa. And the re-enactment faithfully reproduces her clothes, too: she wears a gold veil and a crown resembling her husband’s horn.

We take part in this parade, too. Yes, you’ve read that correctly. With our fabrics, obviously.

The high-end Renaissance fabrics of the water procession

Do you remember that, during Carnival, we told you about the restoration of a Venetian boat, the Dogaressa? It’s the same you see here below, carrying the Doge and his wife.

This photo, though, was taken during one of the past Historical Regattas. Now the boat that carries the chief magistrate of Venice and his spouse during the procession looks like you see in this other photo.

Some Venetian craftspeople brought back its splendour. With the help of one of our handwoven velvets, the Ardis velvet. Which shows one of the most popular Renaissance fabric designs: the pomegranate pattern.

And this velvet displays all of its variants: on the horizontal lines, in the middle of the garlands, thistle flowers alternate with pomegranates; between the leaves of the garlands, on the other hand, you can spot some pinecones.

The Historical Regatta’s parade will therefore let you experience the grandeur of Renaissance Venice down to the tiniest detail. Are you ready for this journey through time?