#suburra art | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

theoutcastrogue · 1 year

Photo

In a Roman Osteria, by Carl Bloch (oil on cavas, 1866)

A very popular genre painting (full resolution here) by the Danish painter Carl Bloch. Genre paintings have subject matters drawn from everyday life, rather than anything pompous, and often from life in the margins in particular: if you’re looking for rogues in European painting, this is where you’ll find them.

An osteria is like a humble tavern, primarily for wine, and maybe to grab a bite and socialise – one way or another. The concept arguably goes back to ancient Rome, and there’s something more or less like it wherever wine is made, but Italy’s oldest osterie, in Brindisi and Bologna, are from the 1400s. It’s a fitting setting for a genre painting.

You can interpret it as you like, but my take is: “POV: you are sitting in an osteria in Rome drinking wine and exchanging suggestive glances with a young lady at the next table, when her friend takes wind of it and tells the young man accompanying them, and he turns around to look at you and he’s NOT happy; uh-oh, he’s got a knife.”

It doesn’t look like an Italian knife, it looks like a Spanish navaja. Designs could of course be similar, and ideas and techniques were borrowed back and forth, but there’s a decorative element which doesn’t show up in Italy (AFAIK), only in Spain and sometimes Morocco: those white discs on the handle are called ojos de perdiz (partridge eyes), they’re bone inlays and the “iris” is usually brass. It makes a nice contrast with the darker material of the handle, which is horn or wood.

As it happens, I have one that looks a lot like it:

Spain, c.1850

And here are a few more navajas with “partridge eyes”, made around the time In a Roman Osteria was painted. (All these are with a carraca, a ratchet; our Italian friend carries a simpler folding knife.)

Albacete, 1860

Albacete, 1866

Cádiz, late 19th century

Back to Italy, a similar decorative element can be found in one very special case. The lover’s knife or love knife (coltello d’amore) is an extremely fancy folding knife, dating to the 18th century, and given as a token of love or as an engagement gift. Among other decorations, it features occhi di dado (dice eyes), which are similar to ojos de perdiz but with a much larger iris, placed off-center. Kind of like googly eyes.

21st century version by the Colterellia Saladini, a very high-end cutlery; it’s their most expensive knife (EUR 1220, lol)

an atypical fixed blade knife, small (16 cm total) and humbly made, 19th century

The eyes are supposed to “ward off the jealous gaze of anyone looking at your lover”, and I think they look a lot like nazars. Italy does have its own apotropaic symbols, however the south (where these knives hail from) has had significant contact with both Arabic and Greek culture, where nazars are super common, so it’s not a terrible leap to assume there’s a connection. But that’s just my speculation.

In the series Suburra: Blood on Rome, the young Sinti gangster Spadino is carrying this exact knife (the Saladini one). Sadly in a different context, it’s a parental / wedding / coming-of-age gift, they just picked it because it’s so extra.

Spadino's mama: “you’re a man now, act like it”. Spadino: *fumes in gay*

#art #trs #tools of the trade #navaja #italy #rome #spain #terminology #folding knife #trp #trc #Suburra: Blood on Rome #how to stab #knives in fiction #rogues in fiction #look at this mess of a post #it's my ADHD in real time #I just wanted to post the painting #and say ''that's a navaja!''

73 notes · View notes

rexneous · 1 month

Text

Quarter Of A Valean Mile Ch 1

8/8/23

---Arc Residence, The Township of Suburra, Vale---

It’s lonely to be a child without their parents on their birthday.

Jaune sighed as he sat on the couch staring blankly into his scroll. His parents left suddenly for an impromptu Huntsmen mission outside Argus, Jaune was told.

That's where his cousin Saphron lived. He wished at least she could’ve visited.

He understood it was their job but was still bummed out that his parents had to leave, they didn’t even get to watch him blow out the candles.

“Hey, be careful with that!” yelled a strange voice.

Jaune looks out the window to identify the source of the disturbance. He found a group of approximately a dozen cloaked people, two of them had tails and one had visible horns. ‘Just a bunch of Faunus, nothing much’. Jaune went back to watching his show on his scroll.

“Get off your butt couch potato; to the garage. The parts I ordered from Mantle are here” said Papa Arc, Jaune’s grandfather barged into the front room. “You need to get your hands dirty” and swiftly walked down the basement stairwell.

This perked Jaune right up, he loved hanging out in the garage with his grandfather. It was the epitome of manliness: beer fridge, dartboard, dozens of loose car parts and tools, and his family's sword: Crocea Mors hung on top of the entrance.

This very weapon has been passed on for many generations: his great-great-grandfather wielded it during the Great War, his great-grandfather, and Papa himself in the Faunus Rights Revolution, he was pretty formidable for a senior citizen; aura was amazing. Jaune’s father was not an appreciator of the classics, so he created his own custom weapon. It has been collecting dust for a decade.

Jaune's parents didn’t like him hanging out in the garage, they thought he would hurt himself so it was a secret between him and Papa. His grandfather let him help with fixing antique cars. Mostly with passing tools since he was only 7, well 8 now.

As Jaune walked into the garage Papa Arc unveiled something under a tarp. He audibly gasped and stared with excitement.

“You like her, eh little Pete?” Jaune cringed at the mention of that nickname, he only wanted the box tops goddammit. Papa slapped the trunk of the car playfully. “This beast here is 300 horses of Vacuan muscle” Impressive for its time, this car was a work of art; a 383 magnum, rear-drive, manual transmission, and a full roll cage.

“So, do you plan on souping her up for the upcoming circuit?” The child excitedly jumped up and down.

“Yeah but it will be a hard job: I have to replace the original engine with a supercharged 426 Hemi since it’s faster and can run on dust. Just wanna strike while the iron is hot.” The elderly Arc popped the hood of the antique, and quickly the air filled with the smell of gasoline causing the Arc men to wheeze and cough.

‘This is gonna be an all-nighter’ thought the young Arc.

---Fort Arrowfell, Atlas ---

‘Ironwood you better be alive you bastard’. Scores of Atlesian Knight-120s and soldiers scour the wreckage for the few survivors of this unprecedented disaster. A bullhead lands in the vicinity; two 30-something blondes step out. The male blonde was approximately 5’3” (1.6 m) tall, with piercing silver eyes, and a scowl that would even put Jacque Schnee to shame. The female blonde was the complete opposite, 6’5” (1.9 m) tall, with blood-red eyes, long curly hair with blue highlights, an obscure band hoodie, and an assured expression.

“How did this happen?” said the fuming male blonde seeing the devastation. An AK120 addressed him “GREETINGS, MR.ARC” “Have you found any survivors?” “PROGRESS REPORT: NO SURVIVORS DETECTED” The man curled up his fist enforcing it with his piercing green aura and punched the android’s head smashing it to pieces. “Fucking clankers!”

“Calm down Hunter they’re alive I just know it,” said the female blonde reassuringly. She tried to look composed but was clearly on the verge of breaking down.

“Thank you Serana.” Hunter let out a deep sigh. “Let’s spread out, you go 2 klicks west and I’ll go south.”

“Aye, Aye captain,” said Serana sarcastically as she brushed away a forming tear.

As the pair begin to split suddenly *KABLAMOOOOOOOOO*. Behind them, in the distance, an explosion in the rubble occurs. The pair quickly ran to the source of the disturbance and prepared their weapons for a fight. They were terrified of what they saw. “Oh my gods!” they cried. It was General Ironwood who was able to clear the rubble with the explosive shot of his white gun: Leges Belli, part of his weapon Due Process. His body was severely burned on his left side…he was barely recognizable. The general rolled to reveal an unconscious Qrow Branwen.

“Come on! We got two WIAs here, and need a medic asap.” barked Hunter. The soldiers quickly get the two on stretchers to transport them to Atlas General Hospital.

The couple then notices a sinkhole in the vicinity: a room. The Arcs look inside it. What they find there will change their lives and the fate of Remnant for years to come.

---Arc Residence 6 hours later---

Jaune and Papa Arc spent most of the evening fixing up the car. Miraculously, you can never tell it was ever in disrepair.

“Want to watch a movie, the one with the cars and crustless tuna sandwiches?” asked the elder

“Yeah, Yeah!” the child screamed

The two cleaned up, went to the front room, and sat on the couch. Papa grabs his scroll, turns on the TV, and flips to a popular streaming service

*booooooooooooooooom*. Debris flies everywhere; the entire front wall of the living room is gone.

“Holy sh….” Papa quickly turns to shield Jaune. “Jaune to the basement now!”

This sudden turn of events took aback Jaune. ‘Why were they under attack? Who would want him and his family dead?’. Jaune heeding his grandfather’s words bolts for the stairs.

As soon as Jaune hit the basement floor *Bwaaaaaa craaaaaaack*. Jaune could hear the smashing of glass. Fearing for his grandfather's safety he ran up the stairs only to learn that the door was locked.

“Don’t worry Pete, I'm right behind you. I just need to do something real quick”

“Where are you human? Die like the dogs you are!” boomed an unfamiliar voice.

Jaune quickly realized who it was, the White Fang. He started to cry “No, papa don’t do this. Come down here. We can hide together.”

“No can do. If I hide, the ruffians will come looking for me and put you in danger” explained the elder Arc.

“How are you going to fight them your outnumbered and don’t have your sword” questioned Jaune

“Hahaha. I survived worse, Pete. I may be old but I still have my skills and training”

This didn’t quell his fears.

Papa’s tone turned serious “Jaune Gaius Arc if I don’t make it I need you to do something for me. Can you do that?

Jaune nodded his head and gave up a meek little “yes”

“Remember family is everything. Whether it's one bonded by blood or forged by comradery. You must do everything you can to protect it and keep it together. Do you understand?’

Jaune hesitated, he didn’t want to see his grandpa go and get himself hurt

“Do you understand?” repeated the elder.

“I understand,” said the child solemnly.

“Okay, I feel more at peace knowing you will live on and uphold the Arc name and honor. Love you Pete” Papa Arc went off to confront the White Fang.

Jaune was alone, so sad and so angry. Why did this have to happen to him to his family? Why was he so helpless? No, not on his watch. Jaune went over to the mantle and reached for Crocea Mors. It was too heavy for a nine-year-old but somehow Jaune was able to just barely carry it. He used all his might to *hack* *hack* *hack* away at the door. He did it. jaune booked it for the front room as fast as he could with the sword in tow. As soon as Jaune turned the corner he screamed in horror at what he saw. Papa was beaten to a pulp and left on the ground barely clinging on to life. ‘How could this happen in such a short time?’. He examined the assailants and found his answer. It was about 4 or 5 White Fang members but something was weird about one of them. He wore a black visor obscuring his face, red hair, and bull horns on his head but, that wasn’t the weird part he appeared to be HIS age and the knife in his hand glowed a searing red, and his stance was weak: clearly he was unsure of himself. ‘How could an 8-year-old beat a seasoned Huntsman, even an elderly one’. The faunus kid lunged at Jaune “Die you damn Arc” he cried. Jaune quickly unsheathed his sword and transformed his shield, and slashed the redhead’s head, crushing the visor, carving right into his face. Taking advantage of the situation, Jaune tries to strike him down but is restrained by one of the older members. They start to pummel him from all around. Hit after Hit the pain starts to spread. The young Arc can only feel anger; his grandfather was dying on the floor, the world has gone mad, and now he is getting beat up for no reason either than they can. Before he could throw himself a pity party he noticed that the redhead was about to stab him. Jaune frantically tried to squirm out of his prison to avoid dying. He could only think of survival as he had to for Papa’s sake and his parents’ sake too. He could feel a sudden surge of energy like the universe itself opened up to him. Before the final blow could be struck a burst of brilliant golden light shot out from him. “Damn, the rat unlocked his aura! Quick boy, use your semblance” exclaimed the thug.

*Boooooooooooooooom* Jaune blacked out.

“*sobbing* Thank the gods you're alive ”. That voice was familiar. It was Jaune’s mother cradling him in her arms. ‘How were they back from Argus so fast?’ Jaune was disoriented from the battle and the sudden unlocking of his aura. It was clear his parents were able to save him in the nick of time.“Is Papa okay?” the Arc asked

The mother’s face formed a grim expression without a word confirming the worst.

“Noooooooooooo”. Jaune was feeling woozy, the shock of it all was too much for him. Before he passed out he noticed something in the corner of his eye, seven child-shaped shadows. The heck?

HELLO THERE, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TODAY TO READ THIS. THIS IS MY FIRST FIC AND I HOPE YOU LIKED IT. I REWATCHED THE FAST SAGA TO WRITE THIS STORY, MAN… THE FIRST ONE IS WAY… ROUGHER THAN I REMEMBERED; CAN’T BELIEVE PAPA LET LITTLE JAUNE WATCH IT. ANY SUGGESTIONS OR CORRECTIONS ARE WELCOMED. BE BACK WITH MORE SOON.

-REX

#rwby fanfiction #rwby #fast and furious

0 notes