Il
Giorno di San Paolino
Despite a series of
vicissitudes with the fortunes of my palio that are perhaps best left to some
future memoirs, the day of the feast of San Paolino (12 July) and the palio
events of the evening were, for me at least, a mini-miracle. The balestrieri
(crossbowmen), the sbandieratori (flag throwers), the tamburini (drummers), the
dancers in costume, provided a context for the carrying of the painted palio
that evocatively connected what I do with the tradition from which it comes. It
is rare that art has that sort of overtly public, and portable, role, and that
classical work is framed by sympathetic sounds and ceremonies. It is certainly
the first time a painting of mine was accompanied by costumed guards with
pikes. Of course, for the balestrieri the painted palio was their context, and for them the evening
was instead all about arrows and a target. The winner was Massimo Baldocchi, of the terziero S. Martino.
 |
| the palio among its competitors |
 |
| re-enacting the Miracle of S. Paolino |
 |
| entering S. Paolino for the mass |
 |
| the palio in procession on Via Fillungo |
 |
the palio entering the
Piazza S. Martino |
 |
| Master of Ceremonies |
 |
| the palio awaiting the crossbow competition |
 |
| the crossbow winners and the palio |
Following are some local news stories on the palio:
Il
Giorno di San Paolino
Complimenti! E' bello il palio, anche questa tradizione in cui I costumi dall'eta' del Rinascimento vivono ancora. Bravo.
ReplyDelete