Join Me in Lecce for a Visit to the  Museo della Cartapesta:
Where Papier-mâché is an Art Form

♦ Introduction ♦

I’ve been to Lecce nine times and it was only on the 9th visit that I was finally able to visit the Cartapesta Museum! The hours are very limited and having been to the Salento and had the pleasure of seeing many of the exquisite examples of cartapesta (especially in churches), I was delighted to finally visit the museum…

♦ The History of Cartapesta in Puglia ♦

Papier-mâché or cartapesta is a craft that is unique to Lecce in the Salento region of Puglia. The origins of papier-mâché are in the Middle and Far East but, through trade, the technique eventually found its way here.

During the 17th and 18th centuries Baroque was flourishing. This is evident in local architecture and resulted in requests to provide more religious figures for local churches and monuments within a rather short time frame. Not having access to the preferred (and more expensive) materials, e.g., marble or bronze, or the tools to work with them, artisans were compelled to find a new method.

Cartapesta was the perfect solution and became the artistic medium of choice to create statues that looked like marble and bronze but were less expensive, faster to produce, and much easier to transport and carry in processions. Hence the art of cartapesta was enthusiastically embraced in this region, especially in Lecce.

♦ The Art of Cartapesta: “Poor Man’s Marble” ♦

Requiring little space and few tools, talented artisans could cleverly use whatever was at hand.

First wire is manipulated to form the stick figure of the “body”, then straw/hemp is tied to it and the head, hands and feet/shoes (often in clay or terra cotta) are added. Working with macerated old rags and paper they made a raw material that, when mixed with animal glue, starch and resin, could be molded onto the wire and straw form to “flesh out” the form.

During a visit to Lecce, we had the pleasure of watching Antonio at work…

The statue starts to come to life as the master artfully manipulates torn strips of a special paper (from near Naples) that have been soaked in paste. Clothing and details are expertly “sculpted” using using hands and tools to transform the paper into flowing robes, gowns, capes, wings, etc. Larger, almost life size, pieces required plaster and/or wax molds.

Once thoroughly dry, a hot iron (in the past, a red hot spoon) and perhaps a fine sand paper is used to smooth out the edges. Once the finishing touches are completed the statue is painted. Larger statues are covered with a coating of plaster and rabbit glue before the final painting (and often adding glass eyes). The result? Exquisite and evocative papier-mâché statues of saints and religious figures.

Cartapesta subjects portray aspects of traditional local life and culture; religious figures, angels, creche scenes (precipi), peasants at work, pizzica folk dancers, peasants, as well as other local tradesmen and women. It’s a wonderful way to share and preserve their heritage and traditions.

♦ The Legacy: Masters and Students of Cartapesta ♦

As with so many artisan skills, they are passed on from master to apprentice in a workshop (la bottega) setting. Pupils are often family members or talented youth interested in acquiring the skills and knowledge of the master.

The Museo della Cartapesta is a proud tribute to the legacy of this art form in the Salento and to the impressive artistic talent of local masters. In photos, videos and displays, you can learn more about the tools, their methods and techniques, and their dedication to their craft. And, of course, the statues themselves are simply beyond description in their beauty.

Among the first masters was Mauro Manieri (1687-1744), a sculptor and architect. Over the decades, as the Baroque period blossomed, the technique became more widely practiced and taught in workshops throughout the region.

Other prominent masters featured in the museum are: Gaetano Guacci and Giuseppe Manzo (1849-1942) who produced largest number of sacred works. Among his numerous student/apprentices were Raffaele Caretta (1871-1950) and Antonio Maccagnani.

Maccagnani was a young master in Manzo’s workshop until 1895 when De Pascalis died and he opened his own shop. He is recognized as reaching “…the highest levels of production in high and low relief works approaching art, painting and sculpture.” He was widely recognized and awarded in Italy and abroad.

Another well-known master is Maestro Antonio Malecore and it was in his bottega that a present-day master learned his craft.

♦ Look Around: Cartapesta is All Around You! ♦

Strolling through Lecce, it’s impossible to miss one of the most notable and famous cartapesta workshops; the workshop of Claudio Riso and his brothers, I Fratelli Riso.

Stepping down into their shop, Cartapesta Claudio Riso, you will immediately be fascinated by the superb workmanship and meticulous attention to detail as well as the wide array of statuettes. Be sure to take the time to study and appreciate the features, the expressions, and the characteristics of each statue.

More than likely you will also find Claudio and his brothers at work. You are welcome to watch and experience this unique creative process. (Sorry, no photos allowed!) The hardest decision? Choosing which to take home!

The stunning Chiesa di Santa Chiara (the Church of Saint Clare) is where you will see outstanding and quite exquisite examples of cartapesta. Look up at the ceiling and then marvel at the extraordinary statues of papier-mâché.

Visiting other churches in Lecce and the Salento, you will see other examples of the handiwork of cartapesta masters but you may need a guide to point them out. I can promise that you will be hard pressed to recognize them on your own!

Thanks to a resurgence, cartapesta can also be enjoyed and appreciated today in many shops throughout Lecce. And definitely leave room in your suitcase – you’ll want to take one these treasures home!

Interesting Factoid: Having the tools and skills, barbers were the first to create papier-mâché figures and to “model” statues in-between haircuts.

♦ Visit:

Museo della Cartapesta is located within the Castello Carlo V, built in the middle ages and fortified by Charles V:
Viale XXV Luglio, Lecce
castellocarlov@gmail.com
+39 0832 246517
http://www.castellocarlov.it/museo-della-cartapesta/
Please check the hours (which are very limited) before visiting

Cartapesta Claudio Riso: http://www.cartapestariso.it/home.html

• CLICK HERE For Links to Other Museum Visits You May Enjoy!

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Have you been to Lecce? If not, is it on your “wish list”? Do you have a favorite museum or site that you have visited?

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