OF THE SICILIAN PUPPETS’ WORK
ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE PUPPETS’ OPERA
There are many paintings, illustrations and historical prints that represent the stories and characters of the Sicilian puppet theatre. In addition to the puppets themselves, the chivalric adventures of the Sicilian puppets have inspired artists over the centuries, who have immortalised the epic deeds of Orlando, Rinaldo, Angelica and the other characters through various means of expression. Painters, engravers and illustrators have brought to life battle scenes, heroic duels and dramatic moments, helping to spread the imagery linked to the Opera dei Pupi even outside of the theatrical performance. Popular prints, often accompanied by captions or explanatory texts, have allowed the stories and values of the chivalric tradition to be passed on to a wider audience, while paintings and frescoes have enriched palaces and theatres, paying homage to this unique art form.
- ILLUSTRATED POSTERS FOR PUPPETS THEATRES
- The puppet theaters were accompanied by illustrated and painted posters that advertised the scenes of the performances. These posters, called “cartelli,” were real posters of the time, made with bright colors to attract the attention of the audience.
- They depicted key moments of the story, such as epic battles, duels between knights, romantic moments and magical scenes, with details that emphasized the drama and heroism of the characters.
2. SICILIAN POPULAR PAINTINGS
- Many Sicilian folk artists have depicted episodes of chivalric stories, drawing inspiration from folklore and local traditions.
- These paintings, often characterized by a strong narrative style and intense colors, adorned homes and meeting places, keeping the legend of the paladins alive through visual art.
3. DECORATED SICILIAN CARRIAGES AND CARTS
- Sicilian carts, an iconic symbol of Sicilian culture, were decorated with scenes from the adventures of the puppets.
- The depictions on the carts included episodes of duels, clashes between Christians and Saracens, and magical moments, with Orlando, Angelica, Rinaldo and other characters as protagonists.
4. ILLUSTRATIONS FOR CHIVALRIC TALES BOOKS
- Chivalric poems, such as Orlando Furioso by Ludovico Ariosto and Gerusalemme Liberata by Torquato Tasso, which inspired many puppet stories, have been illustrated over time by various artists.
- Although not always directly linked to the puppets, these illustrations have often been reinterpreted in Sicilian puppet theaters, which have drawn on them as visual models.
5. WALL PAINTINGS AND THEATRICAL DECORATIONS
- In puppet theaters and puppeteer workshops, you can often find wall paintings that represent the main scenes of the stories. These decorations are sometimes hand-painted and show characters or battles to immerse the spectators in the chivalric setting.
- Theatrical scenes (painted backgrounds used as scenery for the puppets) are also works of art that depict castles, forests, and epic settings.
6. CONTEMPORARY PAINTINGS AND PRINTS
- The paintings with themes of Sicilian puppets have played an important role in the diffusion of chivalric culture and in the Sicilian popular imagination. Through these visual elements, the epic of the paladins has been transmitted and celebrated even outside the puppet theaters, entering people’s daily lives and becoming an inseparable part of the cultural identity of Sicily.
7 . ARTISTIC CERAMICS
- In Sicily, the land of artistic ceramics, many artists create various characters, in different sizes, of the work of the Puppets.
8. SICILIAN PASTRY
- It is customary in Sicily to celebrate the feast of the dead on November 2nd by giving children toys and sweets. Among these, the most popular sweet is the sugar reproduction of some paladins from the Sicilian puppet theatre.
