Previews on the next edition of Palio and the “rag”
Posted on 08. Feb, 2011 by admin in Archive, Culture, Events
The trophy of Palio di Siena that is assigned to the winning contrada is called drappellone (banner) or the “rag” and is a hand-painted piece of silk with the size of an elongated rectangle. Every year a different artist must to paint the drappellone, so is a unique artwork that represents the history of Siena through the centuries.
Some days ago it was announced the names of the two authors for the 2011 edition of Palio in july and august: the rule is that one has to be Senese and the other has to be an international artist.
This year the task goes to Tullio Pericoli, world renowned artist for his watercolors, and the young Francesco Carone, much appreciated within contemporary art. Pericoli is a graphic designer, illustrator and painter, famous not only for paintings but also for book covers, portaits and parodies that testify his eclecticism.
Carone, born 36 years ago, exhibited in a lot of art galleries, in Italy and foreign, and is well known among people that like experimental art and installations; his work is full of references and mysterious symbols, really fascinating and originals. The rules for the painting of the rag are rigid, so is interesting discover how an artist can personally perform the Senese history and enhance the ties of this special artwork.
During the Palio, the rag is held vertically on a black-and-white shaft halberd (black and white are the colors of the city) and shows the features that must to be painted: the insignia of the city and the symbols or colors of the contrade participating in the race, revisited by the style of the author.
The July Palio is dedicated to the Madonna of Provenzano (procuress of the city), besides, in occasion of the 150° anniversary of Italian Unification, the allegorical part of the banner will relate at this important recurrence. The August Palio, dedicated to the Madonna of the Assumption, this year will be about the anniversary of the “Maestà” of Duccio placement at the Altare Maggiore of Cathedral of Siena.
Two dates to remember (2nd of July and 16th of August) and the curiosity about the new drappelloni is high, who knows if the result will match the expectations?
