Introduction

When it comes to colour Venice is foremost in the history of art. For centuries this elegant city has attracted artists to capture her unique colour and light reflecting from the canals and surrounding lagoon. Today artists still capture her beauty and photographers digitalise her light and atmosphere in their individual way. As a photographer I am no exception and am constantly drawn back in search of those unique images which have possibly escaped the lens of others.

One day, tired of dodging the endless umbrella waving tourist guides and their crocodile of followers through the streets of Venice I decided to expand my vision towards the islands of the Venetian lagoon and found an even more vibrant subject for my lens. It was the small island of Burano.

I am now no stranger to this oasis of colour. I find it a fascinating place so full of images, designs and textures it is all too easy to become intoxicated with the explosion of colour and light in front of the lens. In just one trip I can leave wondering what other images have been missed and how much more is there to capture.

Is it any wonder that I, along with other photographers and artists remain constantly drawn to this remote island in search of imagery? The houses, doors, windows, shutters, peeling plaster those wonderful washing lines and of course the canal reflections are all individual images we continually seek to photograph or paint.
There is one element which brings these images to life and that is the beautiful light which spreads in from the lagoon and creates those magical moments. At times Burano can be full of long shadows and speckled light and even on an overcast day the pastel shades of the houses come into their own and provide a warm uplifting light. I think that must be why the Buranelli seem such a relaxed and contented island community and who wouldn’t be with days so full of light and colour?

With all this to satisfy a photographer or artist’s eye Burano very obligingly doesn’t leave it there. This island also provides an atmosphere in which to work and be creative. Surrounded by its history and immersed in a community which values its customs and creative traditions, I can think of nowhere more inspirational.

The island of Burano sits on the northern perimeter of the Venetian Lagoon approximately 7 miles (11 kilometers) from Venice together with the neighbouring islands of Murano, Torcello, Mazzorbo (which is connected to Burano by a bridge) and the Cypress clad monastery island of San Francesco del Deserto.
The lagoon and its marshlands in the northern region of the Adriatic were regarded by the legendary all conquering Romans as a useless wasteland so they avoided the inhospitable, mosquito infested islands, sparing Venice and its lagoon. Today Venice remains almost unique amongst Italian cities as not being created by the Roman Empire. The islands soon became a safe haven for refugees from mainland cities such as Aquileia and Altino. These communities escaped to the Venetian lagoon between the 5th and 7th centuries following marauding invasions by the barbarians of which Attila the Hun was probably the most feared and blood thirsty. Eventually the refugees created homes and a living on the islands amid the marshy wetlands.
Some historians believe the name Burano derives from the ‘Porta Boreana’ meaning the northern door of the ancient mainland city of Altinum which had six gates or ports of entry.

We only have to look north towards the distant Alps to discover how the lagoon was formed. Many of the alpine rivers cascade down the mountain sides and across the alluvial planes of Italy to reach the Adriatic. Along the way they collect the sand, silt, mud, rocks and rubble of centuries of history. As the rivers reach the sea much of the material is deposited, creating sand bars and small islands. The three main rivers responsible for this action are the Piave, Brenta and Sile and between them they are considered responsible for creating the Venetian lagoon.

Being an enclosed bay of the Adriatic the lagoon is connected to the sea via three inlets - the Lido, Malamocco and Chioggia which make the area subject to high variations in water level. The most extreme of these is the acqua alta or spring tide which regularly causes flooding in Venice. Over the years much has been done by the Venetians to manage the effects of the sea and the lagoon, which from a natural formation has turned more into a manmade structure.

The refugees built their first houses on piles or stilts ‘palafittes’ with walls made from woven cane or reeds plastered with mud. The houses made from such natural materials were very light in structure and were at considerable risk of the high tidal waves from the adjoining sea. This gave rise to the theory that Burano as we know it today was not the original island as the refugees re-located to another island further from the sea. However, this theory is not conclusive and it is also believed that the current location was an area which saved the population from the dire effects of malaria, a disease which became very prevalent throughout the lagoon.

Visiting the island centuries after the first settlers made it their home, Burano and its neighbours remain surrounded by the sombre coloured mud flats, reed beds and sand banks of this remote part. The lagoon is extremely shallow and navigation can be tricky. The deeper channels between the mud banks are marked with Bricole – wooden poles which have been lashed together to identify a safe and navigable passage.

There are of course times when the lagoon can be quite still and magical. when the light dances on the far stretches of water amidst the scattered islands with their waving grasses and glimpses of sea birds flying in formation. The environmental colours here are largely slate grey tinged with muddy green and blues. With the lagoon’s history of malarial swamps it would not be too difficult to describe this location as somewhat barren and melancholy, or even at times inhospitable. Then suddenly amidst this mono toned landscape there arises above the waters momentary visions of colour, nestling together much as the colours on an artist’s pallette. The colours are the tiny fishermen’s houses of Burano huddled together under the defiantly leaning campanile of the island’s church San Martino.

Tradition has it that the brightly coloured fishermen’s houses were painted in order that a fisherman could identify his home when returning through a foggy lagoon. Others say the houses were painted in the same colour as the fisherman’s boats and certainly there is evidence of that today. There are however other tales behind these brightly coloured homes. Some will tell you that painting your house in a bright and cheery colour was in celebration that the family had been spared the traumatic effects of the bubonic plague or malaria.
Today it seems it is just for a pleasing effect and of course carrying on the local tradition although the colours are strictly controlled within Burano’s districts by the local authority. Whatever the reason, it has left Burano with a heritage of colour that sets it apart from the rest of the lagoon islands.

On no other island can you experience such a variety of colours reflected so dramatically in the small canals which flow through the island. The reflections can be quite magical, sometimes still and sometimes slowly waving, adding an amusing distortion to the houses. A gentle breeze or the passing of a small boat will create a myriad of colour which constantly changes until the surface of the water returns to a more gentle motion.

Like its big brother Venice, Burano is lined with tiny canals interconnected with bridges leading into open spaces from which narrow passageways lead off towards another slightly secret destination. The houses are almost all linked, narrow and largely two or three storey, creating an intimate townscape. Beside each canal or along each passageway the bold and more extravagant colours mix with softer pastel shades followed perhaps by a more rustic house with peeling plaster. Natural wooden doorways and windows with contrasting shutters, complete the scene along with geraniums and other colourful flower displays.These images of colourful island homes and quaint little streets winding around the small canals will capture your imagination and stay in the mind.

There is one particular house which stands out beyond all others and that is Casa di Bepi Suà. It must be the most famous house on the island and stands in a small courtyard at 339 Via Al Gottolo. Giuseppe Toselli or ‘Bepi’ as he was known was born on Burano in 1920. Bepi worked as a projectionist at the cinema Falvin in the 1940’s but when it closed he inherited the projector and performed film shows in the courtyard outside his house on summer evenings. While living in Burano, he painted his house in cheerful colors and geometric patterns which has made it the subject of many postcards. Bepi died in 2002 but the next tenant decided to keep the colours and geometric patterns just as Bepi had painted. Today it remains a wonderful spectacle for Burano and an honor to the artist.

To complement the colourful houses the ladies of Burano seemingly decorate their houses with washing. It must be the cleanest place in all Italy as everyday it seems is wash day! The ladies appear to be so proud of the appearance of their homes and their island that hanging washing out to dry has become something of an art form in itself. Several lines are either colour co-ordinated and others are hung in sizes from smallest item at one end to largest at the other.

It matters not whether the colours of the washing clash or contrast with the colours of the house, it all adds to this happy and colourful scene which is Burano. It is the canal side houses with their washing hanging out of windows or with lines attached to the walls which offer the most attractive visual display. These of course are the houses which are reflected in the canals, producing both a realistic view and an inverted artistic view.

In photographing this book I have to confess to being slightly uncomfortable focusing my camera on someone’s washing line with their personal items on display. However, I was put very much at ease by one lady who seeing me about to photograph her beautifully turned out washing line, came out to re-position her prop before standing back to admire the scene while I continued to photograph her washing. After a few smiles and nods I left the lady with a very satisfied look on her face still admiring her washing. I continued on my way in search of yet more Burano washing lines.

With this vision of colour the spirits are immediately lifted and Burano feels, and in fact is, quite unique both in identity and atmosphere. The island has a tranquil and relaxed feel and at times there is almost silence save for a few echoing voices or the sound of a distant watercraft and the gentle lapping of the lagoon. This setting could be miles from anywhere and is particularly noticeable after arriving from the bustling crowds and kaleidoscope of visionary delights in Venice, a mere forty minutes away by waterbus.

Originally Burano had a population of around 8000 mostly fishermen and farmers supported by their wives who created the island’s tradition for lacemaking but the population is now little more than 3000. Despite a declining population the island has survived and has been managed in such a way as to preserve its original identity and vulnerable position in the lagoon. Canals have been constructed and the island’s five regions or districts connected with a series of bridges. Burano’s main street Via Galuppi was in fact once a small canal since filled in to form a main thoroughfare leading to what is the central square or Piazza. The main street and Piazza were named after Baldassare Galuppi, a major Italian composer of operas who was born on Burano in 1706.

Surrounded by the waters of the lagoon the early settlers upon the island immediately became natural fishermen. The marshland on some of the islands had limited agriculture worth so fishing became the main means of existence. Fish was the islander’s staple diet but it was also their means of trading, acting as a currency they could trade for wheat, wine and wood.

Originally fishing was by means of harpoons and nets or with the use of cages or ‘chebe’ left on the muddy bed to catch crabs and small fish. Even today similar practices are carried out and all around the island can be seen the nets and cages of the fishermen’s trade. Over the years the fishing has declined as people have sought work in other trades off the island but those remaining are now part of a co-operative sending their fish to Venice’s Rialto market. It is however still possible to buy fish straight from a boat alongside one of the canals and of course the restaurants always offer fresh fish straight from the lagoon. Around the island are small boatyards or ‘Squeri’ and marinas where the fishing boats are moored and these also add to the colour and character of Burano.

There is a wonderful legend in Burano’s history about a fisherman who was about to be wed and was fishing outside of the lagoon one day when he came upon a Siren or mermaid who tried to entice him away. The fisherman resisted her charms and was rewarded by the mermaid queen for his loyalty. The Siren thrashed her tail against the boat creating foam from which developed a beautiful wedding veil. On the day of his wedding the fisherman gave the veil to his fiancée which was so much admired by all the young ladies of Burano they all started creating the same veil for their own weddings. They used needle and thread in increasingly finer sizes in an endeavour to produce even more beautiful veils and thus Burano became the oldest place in the world for embroidered lace.

The first Burano lace can be traced back to 1500 when the designs were very simple. By1600 the embroidery had spread throughout Europe but despite the competition Burano lace remained the most delicate and elegant of its kind which is created in five steps, each one carried out by a different embroiderer.

By 1900, Burano lace was produced by considerably fewer ladies than in 1500 because many young women left the island to work in Murano or Venice. Those who remained on the island started very early, since they didn't attend school and spent all their time being taught lacemaking by their mothers. By the age of 12 the girls would attend the Scuola dei Merletti run by nuns. This was a school founded in 1872 by Countess Andriana Marcello with a view to retaining the artistry and craft of lace making and to provide much needed economy source of income to the impoverished island. With the decline in lace as a fashion item the school finally closed in 1970. It is now the Museo del Merletto where original examples of Burano lace are on display and visitors can see a number of Burano ladies at work on their fine craft.

Lace was such a big part of the Island that the name of a famous 80 year old lace worker, Cencia Scarpariola, was given to one of its streets in honour of her efforts in passing on her knowledge of lace making in order to preserve the craft.

Today the visitor to Burano can view many shops selling lace but now most is imported to satisfy the demands of the tourist trade. Original lace crafted on the island remains of the highest quality and demands a high price. Shops such as Martina Lace promote genuine Burano lace from their ‘palazzo dei pittori’ a wonderful building which was once the centre of the Venetian artists who gathered on the island in the 1900’s.

Towering above this community is the leaning campanile of the 16th century church of San Martino. Although originally founded in 959 the 16th century architecture is said to be the design of Andrea Tirali but of course there have been later changes and restoration work. It contains a crucifixion by Tiepolo dating from around 1720. The Campanile is by Tirali dating from around the early 1700’s and now leans at an alarming rate due to the soft underlying conditions of the lagoon.

Without doubt Burano feels a happy place full of contented people going about their lives at a comfortable pace, an environment where children still play in the squares and streets after school and where you can always hear a cheery greeting between neighbours. The island preserves its rhythms and traditions with dignity as if captured in a moment in time.

The real sense of Burano as a community comes alive each evening when most of the tourists have headed back to Venice on the vaporetto. The street lights come on adding to the atmosphere and the restaurants look even more inviting. Burano has many fine restaurants but perhaps Da Romero is the most famous. At the beginning of the 20th century Romano Barbaro opened a restaurant for locals and the first visitors to the island. Among these visitors were artists keen to paint the magical light and colour. Da Romero quickly became their meeting place and today the walls are hung with many artistic works even from those early times. Over the years Da Romero has become internationally famous and to read their guestbook is like reading a celebrity ‘whose who’. The restaurant continues to be run by the Barbaro family who offer their gastronomic art fresh from the lagoon.

Another famous restaurant of Burano is the Al Gatto Nero or The Black Cat which has been in the same family since 1965 when Ruggero Bovo took over an old inn on the island. The family transformed the inn into a restaurant which is now featured in the most authoriative international guides where their most simple dishes feature fresh fish direct from the lagoon. Ruggero loves the island and this comes through in his cuisine which reflects the food which has fed the islanders for generations.

The island also has its own biscuit or cookie ‘Bussola Buranello’, which I understand translated, means the compass of Burano. It is baked in a shape like a backwards ‘S’ and was a traditional Easter treat when it was dipped in holy wine ‘vin santo’. The biscuit has a sweet aroma and taste and is available at the island bakeries but beware they are exceedingly moreish!

In the fading light of a Burano evening when the atmosphere is enriched with temping aromas from the restaurants, the Buranelli stand in groups along Via Galuppi. Their excited and friendly chatter fills the air, there is much laughter and for a brief moment in time Burano becomes a theatrical stage. You may even be lucky enough to hear the singing of ‘Cantori di Burano’, a group of mostly former fishermen all with a passion for opera and singing, who occasionally meet with a glass of wine to sing folk songs about their island, fishing and the lagoon. Slowly and almost impercetably the conversations relax and the Buranelli disperse back to their cottages leaving the streets and canalsides silent and remote in readiness for another day in the life of the island.