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

Magnifico e Cortigiana

(The Magnificent and his Courtesan)

Magnifico, or Magnificho, is the other name Pantalone is known.

We see him here, a noble, important rich old guy with his (usually young) lover.

Being a Courtesan was a full time job at the time for a woman.
A little better regarded than actual prostitutes, anyway.

Courtesans spent their life pleasing their master, that was it.

You had some advantages out of that, other than financial, as being able to dedicate your life to culture, intellectual achievements, but was basically "that" kind of exchange.


We may notice here as Pantalone wears his classic knife, the pistolese, a strong dagger with a romboidal shape to make it sturdier, that was used with the left hand for protection when attacked with a sword.

Etching by Francesco Bertelli: "Magnifico e Cortigiana" - 1642
Francesco Bertelli: "Magnifico e Cortigiana"
Il Carnevale Italiano Mascherato - etching (1642)

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