In a world where the lines between spectacle and justice were vividly drawn against the cobblestone piazzas of Rome, there existed a man whose life was inseparably intertwined with the paradoxes of his time. Giovanni Battista Bugatti, dubbed Mastro Titta, bore the weighty role of the Papal States’ official executioner—a position he held from 1796 to 1864. Bugatti, a man of contrasts, carried out 514 executions during his tenure, a figure that leans into the macabre yet stands as a testament to the era’s harsh legal system.
Mastro Titta, a Roman twist on ‘maestro di giustizia’ or master of justice, started his grim craft at the tender age of 17. His career spanned over 68 years, during which he not only administered justice but also reflected the societal fascination with the spectacle of death. This fixation is palpable in the words of notable witnesses like George Gordon Byron, who attended a beheading in Piazza del Popolo on May 19, 1817. The poet described the chilling scene with eloquent horror: “The day before I left Rome I saw three robbers guillotined—the ceremony…is altogether more impressive than the vulgar and dirty “new drop” & dog-like agony of infliction upon the sufferers of the English sentence.”
Indeed, Bugatti’s executions were events that attracted crowds, and the presence of children amidst the audience hints at a societal norm far removed from our current sensibilities. Charles Dickens, too, bore witness to Bugatti’s work during his travels through Italy. Dickens’ reaction, as transcribed in his book ‘Letters from Italy,’ sheds light on the mixed feelings of revulsion and fascination that public executions inspired.
During the long periods of inactivity, Bugatti’s life was curiously mundane. He and his wife sold painted umbrellas and souvenirs to tourists, an occupation that contrasts sharply with his role as the master of justice. His notoriety required him to live within the boundaries of the Trastevere neighborhood unless on official business, a condition that underscored the dual nature of his existence—both protected and isolated by his occupation.
For those with a taste for historical artifacts, Bugatti’s legacy lives on at the Museum of Criminology at Via del Gonfalone in Rome. His blood-stained clothes, axes, and a particularly peculiar guillotine with a straight blade and V-shaped neck-piece, are on display.
Relevant articles:
– Robe And Axe Of Giovanni Bugatti, The Official Papal Executioner Who Executed 514 People