Old Traditional painting on transport in Sicily (Wheels of carts) and Scooter), Italy, European Union, EU
It was the Ancient Greeks who brought the concept of a simple, rectangular cart with two wheels to Sicily and carts of this type can be seen in the Roman mosaics at Piazza Armerina. Carts that we would recognise today are mentioned in the Chronicles of the Aragonese Federico III of Sicily. The carts were pulled by horse in cities and over flat areas but donkeys and mules were used for rougher terrain. The decoration of the vehicles did not begin until the second half of the nineteenth century and at first they were painted to protect them from the sun. Early designs were based on blue colours and depicted religious themes but gradually the decoration became more and more ornate and bright colours began to appear, most famously the red and yellow of the flag of Palermo. Wood carvers, metal workers and painters all worked on the carts and there are some rare examples of “arte povera” [“poor people's art”] in which carving, not painting, forms the decoration. Most of the carts, however, were painted and the themes ranged from the religious to the historic to the folkloric. One of the most frequently depicted legends is the story of Roland, who becomes Orlando in Sicily. The legend is based on the epic poem ”Orlando Furioso” by Ariosto, which in turn is based on the French “Chanson de Roland”. As craftsmen and painters vied with one another to produce elaborately decorated carts, the carts became status symbols, just like our cars today. But they were always working vehicles and often their use and provenance can be ascertained from their shape and colours: Most carts from the Trapani area were squarer and were used for the transport of salt. They had higher wheels than other carts to keep the body of the cart out of the water when it crossed marshy areas. Most Palermo carts were slightly wider and were used for the transport of grapes. Other carts were used to transport grain. Carts from Catania are more rectangular and the base colour tends to be red whilst Agrigen
Size: 5616px × 3744px
Location: Palermo Province, Sicily, Italy, European Union, EU
Photo credit: © Thibaut PETIT-BARA / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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