Images(4)

Doll, Decorative

Object number2015.82.2

Artist Anna Marie Fiori

Date1982

MediumCeramic; Paint; Glaze; Fabric; 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. Black painted hair and blue eyes. White fabric long-sleeve shirt with lace on chest and around cuffs; purple velvet over-layer on front of chest. Shawl made of black brocade fabric with green and purple floral accents and purple fringe; shawl is pinned to the torso. Two gold-tone metal necklaces. Floor-length purple brocade skirt with leaf pattern; skirt has applied stripes featuring orange and pink embroidered flower pattern: one horizontal stripe around waist, three vertical stripes on front, and two horizontal stripes around skirt bottom. White lace trim around interior of skirt bottom. Gold braided belt. White fabric underskirts (petticoats) and pantalets. Painted black heeled shoes.Dimensions21.5 × 10 × 4.25 in. (54.6 × 25.4 × 10.8 cm)
InscriptionsRectangular paper label pinned with metal straight pin on interior of skirt on the proper right side; the label has printed black text on the backside “SICILIA / Donna di Piana dei Greci” and handwritten text on the front “166 Purple”.
Translation:
“SICILIA / Donna di Piana dei Greci” = “SICILY / Piana Woman of the Greeks”
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

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