giovanni francesco "gianfrancesco" straparola, also known as zoan or zuan francesco straparola da caravaggio (c. 1480 – c. 1557) was a writer from caravaggio, italy. his principal work is "le piacevoli notti", a collection of 75 stories. modelled on decamerone, it has participants of a 13-night party in the island of murano, near venice, tell each other stories that vary from the bawdy to the fantastic.