Born in the early 19th century, for years the typical cart with its vibrant paintings represented Sicily worldwide. A means of transportation and simultaneously a work of art, the Sicilian cart has unfortunately disappeared today and can only be admired in museums, during festivals and celebrations... or you can find its colors in the decoration of the mischievous Bummulo, signed by Artefice Atelier. But what is the Bummulo? And why malandrino? We're talking about the reinterpretation of an ancient jug that once held precious liquids like wine and water. It's called malandrino, which means mischievous, because of the astonishment it provokes among diners when you bring it to the table: Liquids pour from the hole underneath when it's turned over, but when returned to the dispensing position, the liquids don't spill out, even without a stopper, thanks to an internal system of communicating vessels.
We mentioned the cart... The first description dates back to 1833, in the account of the journey made to Sicily by the French writer Jean Baptiste Gonzalve de Nervo. The most recurring figurative theme is that of the French paladins, but in some parts, the religious vein is preferred, with a particular predilection for Saint George, also recognized as the protector of horses. However, themes related to history in general, chronicles, mythology, characteristic Sicilian figures, landscapes, and symbols of Sicily are also treated. Even the horse that pulls the cart participates artistically, as it is adorned for the occasion, decorated with plumes, bright fabrics, fringes, and bells. The parts that make up the cart, whose names derive from those (in Sicilian dialect) of some parts of the human body, can be made from walnut, ash, beech, and fir wood. At the beginning of the 20th century, the craftsmanship of the Sicilian cart became the collaborative work of 6 artisans: the cartwright, the carver, the turner, the blacksmith, and u' usciularu, the painter, who decorated all the surfaces that could be painted, even the wheel, as it was considered an integral work of art.
