Venice, Art History And Italian Artisans With Laura Morelli

Traveling to a new place is about art, architecture, food, and culture, but it can also be about the people you meet and the memories — and even souvenirs — you bring back. In today’s interview, Laura Morelli talks about Venetian artisans, the joys of limoncello, and shares her tips for finding the perfect way to remember your trip. Dr. Laura Morelli has a Ph.D. in art history from Yale writes award-winning historical fiction based on the true stories of art history and teaches art history online. Show notes: * How early travels in Europe sparked Laura’s interest in medieval history * Places in Venice where you can see behind the present facade to the history beneath * The quiet places where you can still find artisans and craftspeople who keep old skills alive — and how to avoid being ripped off * Venetian paper and bookbinding * The plague mask and Carnival * Limoncello * How travel helps us appreciate what’s different and what’s the same between our cultures and countries * Recommended books around works of art You can find Laura at www.LauraMorelli.com and on twitter @lauramorelliphd Transcription of interview with Laura Morelli Jo Frances: Dr. Laura Morelli has a Ph.D. in art history from Yale writes award-winning historical fiction based on the true stories of art history and teaches art history online. Welcome, Laura. Laura: Hello Jo, I’m so happy to be with you. Jo Frances: It’s great to have you on this show. Start off by telling us what inspired you to study history in the first place. Tell us a bit more about your background. Laura: Sure. Well, I’m a southern girl. I grew up on the coast of Georgia and I was very lucky at a young age to have the opportunity to travel and I can remember when I was growing up and people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I always said that I wanted to be a writer or an archaeologist. I feel like I was fortunate to be what I set out to be when I was a little girl! I went to Europe when I was about 12 for the first time and I remember standing in front of the facade of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and just being feeling spellbound in front of that Gothic cathedral. I think that the architecture of medieval and Renaissance Europe really sparked a passion for me to continue to travel. When I was 16, I went to Venice for the first time and I fell prey to one of those hawkers in St. Mark’s Square, one of those guys that hang around and lure unsuspecting Americans on to boats to head over to the island of Murano to buy Murano glass. Even at a young age I had this idea that ‘oh, I’m supposed to come home with Murano glass,’ but I had no idea why. There was something about the artistic traditions from centuries ago that really sparked a passion and lured me to continue to travel and want to know more. I put my dream of being a writer on the back burner for a little while because I wanted to follow that trail of art history and so I went on to pursue advanced studies in art history and have taught at the college level. I still have a passion for it. I think it’s just the most interesting topic in the whole world. Jo Frances: That’s so amazing. Before we get into Venice and your books, I’d love to know more about how someone from Georgia came to love European art history. What are the big cultural shocks for an American out of Georgia going to Europe? Laura: Oh gosh, so many, I suppose I am just a farm girl. It’s interesting, I think all Americans can relate to the idea of having such an old past. You know there’s something about feeling connected to people from long ago that I think we’re missing a little bit in American culture,