Learning Italian can give you the possibility to understand Italian humor and discover Madonnari, a type of street artist that you can meet in art cities. And you can get a lot of other benefits too by learning Italian. You can read a menu in a restaurant and order your favorite dish without help. You can enjoy a book or a movie. But learning Italian can allow you to read the many signs spread almost everywhere. By doing so, you will discover a world made of humor, with funny pieces of advice, curious warnings or suggestions topped with jokes and humor. This is what I found one day while wandering in Rome. It was right under my feet, next to a painting a man was doing. He was part of the so-called movement of Madonnari. It is very common to meet Madonnari in the city center, but this one had something more to say than its art.
Ever heard of Madonnari?
In the 1980s, it was possible to find, in many Italian cities, the so-called Madonnari. They were street artists who used to paint pieces on public streets. The name comes from Holy Mary (Madonna, in Italian) as they mainly prefer holy subjects. You can still find them in some cities. I saw one of them in Rome last April. What was interesting was something he drew near his painting. Fed up with answering always to the same questions…he wrote FAQs. Isn’t that bright?
Madonnari have even a museum
If you want to find out more about this type of street art, there is a Museum dedicated to Madonnari in the province of Mantua. It is open every day but I strongly recommend to check in advance and write them to be sure it is possible to visit it.
pure genius
the mcdonalds line would be some perfect place to advertise a restaurant
I was several times in Rome, never lost my way. 🙂
ah, but there’s a McDonald’s next to the Pantheon. So you can kill two birds with one retarded stone.
I love it! And quite true! Tourists and Mcdonalds. Tsk
hei wow. I though the post had to be explained (I wanted to add more text) but it seems it doesnt need explanaition.
In anycase, this is a great example on how Italians can be creative.
Thank you everybody for your comments.
Bello!
Che specie di messaggio lascia per tutti gli immigrati illegali?
Alice che razza di messagio e’?
(messaggio..)
I once saw a guy who worked for a beach resort on a Thai island wearing a t-shirt that read: I am not a weatherman
Guess people asked him what the weather was going to be like tomorrow a lot!
So true, all they ever want to do is take photos and eat McDonald’s, you wonder why so many people bother leaving home.
The response on that board is pure poetry, might suggest to a friend in ronda that they do the same thing…
Directions to the Colosseum aren’t hard… Just find a metro station, and go to the “Colosseo” stop. Done.
And the metro stop is two minutes down via condotti at piazza di spagna. I would say see #1 and go to metro tunnel and ride to Colloseo. I remember as a teenager always being asked directions by tourists. I needed a sign like that to hang around my neck.
thanks
thank you
i love this. it is informational and funny. i would love this wandering around on the way to the fountian.