A VISIT TO DONNAFUGATA - 2

To my delight, there were three traditional carretti siciliani on display at Donnafugata and I was able to photograph these to my heart's content. The following paragraph about Sicilian carts is from a previous post of mine, so regular readers may like to skip it:

The Ancient Greeks brought the concept of a cart shaped in this way to the island but the painting of the vehicles did not begin until the second half of the nineteenth century, the purpose being to protect the wood from the sun and rain. The tradition continued into the early twentieth century and the painting became more and more ornate so that even when the carts were used by farm labourers, they showed off the wealth of the landowner. Scenes from folklore and legend were most often depicted and the red and yellow colours of Palermo's flag were frequently used. Sadly, nowadays the carts are found only in museums and, sadder still, the last traditional cart painter in Sicily may very soon be forced to give up his work. The various parts of the carts are now collectors' pieces, especially the plaque underneath the cart bearing the painter's name.

This is my first attempt at a slideshow!