Doll, Decorative
Object number2015.82.3
Artist
Anna Marie Fiori
Date1982
MediumCeramic; Paint; Glaze; Fabric; Velvet; Plastic; 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 headdress and headwrap. White fabric shirt. Red velvet short jacket with blue and gold trim. Necklace of white plastic beads mimicking pearls. Floor-length skirt is, from top to bottom, black fabric, blue velvet, and red velvet. Apron is black fabric with blue velvet perimeter and blue and gold trim. Skirt has an under-layer of white fabric, blue velvet, and red velvet. White fabric pantalets. Painted red lower legs and black heeled shoes. Hands are held in place underneath apron with monofilament.Dimensions21.5 × 11 × 4.25 in. (54.6 × 27.9 × 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
