Piero Dri

Il Forcolaio Matto↔Il Forcolaio Matto

Rowlock maker

©Joan Pascual

The mad rowlock maker

Piero is proud of being a Venetian
He studied astronomy at Padua University
His clients often display his rowlocks as sculptures in their homes

In Venice even rowlocks and oars are special, just like the gondolas on which they are used. The Venetian rowlock is called a 'forcola', and today there are only four 'forcolai' left in the city. The youngest of them is Piero Dri, who calls himself 'il forcolaio matto' (the mad rowlock maker), because when he started, after the 2008 economic crisis, many told him he was crazy to invest in this business. But Piero was determined, and having learnt all the secrets of the trade from his master, Paolo Brandolisio, he opened his own workshop, where he continues a tradition that dates back many centuries. “I wanted to create something where you could breathe tradition but not in a nostalgic way,” he says. “I don't like feeling sorry for myself, so I wanted to make a cheerful impression on a traditional profession.”

Interview

©MVignati

Why are Venetian rowlocks and oars different?: Because here there has always been the need to row standing up and looking forward, and to move on water that is not as wide as a lake or the sea. In Venice it was necessary to develop a type of rowing in which the oar can be continuously moved to various positions to control the boat in any situation.
Have rowlocks changed in the course of time?: The gondola's forcola in particular has evolved over the centuries, as has the gondola itself, enabling the gondolier to steer the boat with absolute precision. With its particularly curved shape, the forcola allows the gondolier to position the oar in six or seven different positions.
What fascinates you about your craft?: The aspect that has captured me most over the years is the one that matches my character. On the one hand you have to be precise and rational, and on the other, free. In making my forcolas, I feel I can combine technique and art.
Do you use traditional tools?: Apart from the very first stages of production, all the rest is done by hand with hand saws that allow me to cut the desired shapes. I work with the tools of the past, including knives with two handles of various sizes which adapt to different surfaces. It takes two years to master their use.

Piero Dri is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2006