Doll, Decorative
Object number2015.82.1
Artist
Anna Marie Fiori
Date1982
MediumCeramic; Paint; Glaze; Fabric; Velvet; Metal; Adhesive
Credit LineGift of Anna Marie Fiori
DescriptionHandmade female doll representing regional Italian dress. Painted ceramic head, shoulders, forearms, and lower legs with remaining body made of cloth. Brown painted hair and eyes. Gold metal flower stud earrings. Black velvet jacket is long-sleeve with open front trimmed by red fabric and connected with crisscrossing black cord; sleeves have red cuffs with lace trim. Woven floral fabric underneath jacket. Black velvet floor-length skirt with tier of synthetic black fabric around skirt bottom. Collar of diaphanous pleated white fabric with red bow at front center. Waist belt and hip belt made of woven red fabric with yellow, blue, green, and gold paisley design; ornate gold embellishment mounted on hip belt features a lion head and green stone at front center. White fabric underskirt (petticoat) and pantalets. Painted white heeled shoes.Dimensions21 × 9 × 4.25 in. (53.3 × 22.9 × 10.8 cm)Historical NotesThe 16” dolls were made by Anna Marie in 1982 for the Pittsburgh Folk Festival; each doll’s costume represents a different region of Italy. Besides making the clothing, the donor also crafted the ceramic heads, hands, and feet at Louise Malone’s ceramic shop in Penn Hills. Collection includes handmade dolls, ceramic conga (quartara), copper conga, Sardinian flute and pan pipe, ram’s horn, conch shell horn, wrist and hand castanets, Jew’s harp, triccheballacche, concertina, various handmade noisemakers, tambourine, and recorder. I Campagnoli was an Italian American folk troupe from the Pittsburgh area comprised of approximately 40 core performers with a focus on Italian folk singing and dancing. Originally directed by Lorenzo “Larry” Malfatti and Eugene Richards (and later Jane Ferro) and sponsored by the Italian Sons and Daughters of Italy, the group formed in 1964 and performed throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as in Italy and at the opening of the Italian Village in Epcot Center and Busch Gardens.
Related institution
I Campagnoli
On View
Not on view
