November 11, 2009

At the southwestern end of Piazza Navona in little Piazza Pasquino stands the patron of the city’s scandalmongers, a severely truncated classical statue lodged against one wall. Placed here in 1501, it is known as Pasquino, supposedly after a tailor who had his shop in the Piazza and who did work for the Vatican. The loose-tongued Pasquino became famous for regaling his friends with insider gossip. He left some of his best stories and lampoons pinned to the statue, and when people joined in, it became the Renaissance equivalent of a satirical magazine. Scurrilous and libelous verses, called Pasquinate and usually targeted at the aristocratic and ecclesiastical establishment, were attached to the statue anonymously to be read by all. In papal Rome, this was just about the only channel of free speech. In time, Pasquino gained correspondents, as the lampoons carried on the statue were answered by others and became known as the talking statues of Rome. Barbed prose is still to be found tacked there today.

My Italian grandmother is a Pasquino and this story inspired me. For an independent study for my master’s degree I’ll be doing genealogy and historical research for what will result in the young adult father/daughter historical novel I’ve always wanted to write.—Michelle