Elephant Salad Plate 9", Contrade Dinnerware From Siena

Description

DESCRIPTION
Contrade Italian Dinnerware is available in all 17 District Designs and each design is available in eight different products. … more DESCRIPTION
Contrade Italian Dinnerware is available in all 17 District Designs and each design is available in eight different products. The Elephant (Torre), for centuries has represented the "Rione della Torre" during the Palio horse race. "Rione" stands for Neighborhood. The Contrade Italian Ceramics are handcrafted in Siena, Italy. Torre is situated just to the south-east of the Piazza del Campo in the centre of the city, and encompasses Siena's Jewish quarter and synagogue. Traditionally, its residents worked as woolcombers. Torre's symbol is an elephant (the contrada's original name was Liofante or Lionfante) with a tower on its back. Its colours are crimson, striped with white and blue. Torre is the adversary of both Onda (wave) and of Oca (goose). It is the only contrada to have two rivalries, making it the most contentious contrada in Siena. Torre’s unique ally is Bruco. Build your kitchen set today with this Elephant Salad Plate.

ARTISAN STORY
During the Renaissance, Italian cities were partitioned into districts or neighborhoods called Contrade to supply troops to the military. Today, the most celebrated Contrade are of Siena, where 17 Contrade, each represented by a symbol or animal, compete in the Piazza del Campo for pride and the glory of winning in a biannual horse race called the Palio di Siena, which dates back to 1656.
In 1986, Walter Staccioli began producing ceramic pieces incorporating the Contrade patterns of Siena. Today, based upon each Contrada’s individual flag that festoons rider and horse in events surrounding the Palio di Siena, Sonia Staccioli and her sister Jada carry on the traditions. These works of art can only be found exclusively at Biordi and the Staccioli workshop at the Piazza del Campo in Siena. less