Bernardo Hay - Squero San Trovaso (ca. 1900)

 

The Squero di San Trovaso is one of the oldest and most famous Venetian boatyards. The term "squero" means "shipyard" in Venetian, derived from the word "squara," which refers to the tool used to build boats. This is the traditional place where small-sized boats such as gondolas, pupparini, sandoli, s'ciopóni, and other typical vessels of the Venetian maritime tradition were constructed and repaired.

Located along the canal of the same name, the Squero di San Trovaso dates back to the 17th century. It is one of the very few boatyards still in operation in Venice, although nowadays, it is primarily used for the production and repair of gondolas. In the past, its shipbuilding activities extended to various other types of boats.

The building that houses it has the typical shape of mountain houses, which is exceptional for Venice. This uniqueness is attributed to the creativity of the boat builders accustomed to working with wood and, above all, to the Cadore origins of many master shipwrights.

Bernardo Hay was born in 1864 as the son of the British painter Jane Benham Hay, who was living in Florence at the time. His mother was one of the influential figures in the Pre-Raphaelite movement in England. She had been separated from her husband, the painter William Hay, for some time before the birth of Bernardo, so he could not be considered the father. Later, his mother married the Italian painter Francesco Saverio Altamura, a member of the Macchiaioli artistic group, with whom she had been romantically involved since the late 1850s.

Bernardo Hay studied painting under Altamura in Naples. In the early 1880s, he briefly lived in Venice, Florence, and Bruges. In 1883, he participated in the annual art exhibitions in Milan, showcasing four paintings: "Field of Flowers," "Summer in Posillipo," and two views of Venice. He also exhibited in Rome with works depicting the "Grand Canal," the city of Bruges, and a Belgian landscape. Around 1885, he exhibited in Turin with pieces such as "Portrait of Carmanella," "Spring Flower," and "Seascape of Resina." In the late 1880s, he returned to Naples and mainly focused on creating views of scenes and people around the Gulf of Naples. In 1889, he was still living in Naples but later settled on the island of Capri.

Apart from a few known views of Bruges and Belgium, landscape views of the Gulf of Naples and portrait studies of the simple Neapolitan population were among the artist's preferred subjects. He also produced some views of Venice. Only oil paintings by Hay are known. Information about the artist's death varies, with some sources stating 1931 on Capri and others mentioning 1934 in Naples. He was known by the nickname "Pito," which translates to "the Little One" in German.