The Sicilian
Wood Carver
G E O R G E P E T R A L I A
Internationally known Sicilian wood carver George Petralia.
The person who owns or drives the cart is called "il Carrettiere".
Sicilian wood carts, are called "Carretti", singular is "Carretto", and are composed of both wood, iron, and brass (wheel bushing). Involved in the construction of these 'carretti' were the wood carver (called "U'ntaghiaturi") or "Il Scultore", the metal worker ( called "Fabro Feraio)", the painter ( called Il Pittore or in Sicilian "U Pitturi"), "Il Carrotori", is the person who actually makes the cart.
Below you will find a picture of the cart owner, Mauro Giuffrida (center) and the group of people who were involved in making this particular cart.
Caretto del Giuffrida 2005
These are the people who were involved in the making of this particular Sicilian wood cart.
They include the painters, carvers, and carpenters.
Left to right back row
1. Vera Pellegrino 2. Giuseppe Massimino 3. Rosa Giuffrida
4. Domenico Murabito 5. Raffaele Russo 6. Giuseppe Giuffrida
7. Mauro Giuffrida 8. Calvagno (nipote)
9. Alfio Pulvirenti 10. Domenico DiMauro 11. Saro Tricomi
12. Rosario D'Agata 13. Elio Ruffo
Left to right front row
14. Calvagno (nonno) 15. Paolo Citraro 16. Antonio Zappala
Back Row - 7th from Left Maruo Giuffrida (Owner of Carrretto)
Back Row - 10th from Left - Domenico Di Mauro ( Painter)
Back Row - 12 th from Left - Rosario D'Agata ( Wood Carver - Via Grande )
Front Row Third from Left - Antonio Zappala ( Painter )
Sicilian carretti are made in three distinct provinces in Sicily,
Catania, Palermo and Agrigento. Each province has similar yet different characteristics.
Carretti were used for many reasons. Some were used for work, they carried people, wine, produce, wood, and anything that had to be transported, and were called, "Carretti del Lavoro", or working carts. They were the 'trucks' of today. There were also the carts for special occasions, show carts, or "Carretto di Garra".
]Pictured here is Maruo Giuffrida of Viagrande, in the province of Catania, Sicily, Italy, with his award winning 'Carretto di Garra" or Sicilian Competition Cart or Show Cart.
The display dressing on the cart and horse are called "finimenti".
Caretti
Did you know that every carretto has two wheels and each wheel has twelve spokes, six curves of
wood and one center hub called da mieolo, made of walnut and held together by two metal rings, on a metal hub. The wheel is held onto the metal shaft via a nut or 'rannola' that screws onto the axel to hold the wheel to the shaft.
Carretto Campanille
George Petralia with Santo Campanille a carrottore and the grandson of the builder of the Campanille Carretto pictured below.
The Campanille Carretto.
This Carretto was made in the 1930s and was a highly prized winning cart.
( Owned by Michelangelo Constantino of Tre Mistieri, Catania )
PAINTED BY DOMENICO DIMAURO
CLOSEUP OF
BACK VIEW
SIDE VIEW CLOSE UP
SIDE VIEW
The Famous Carretto di Campanille is owned by Michelangelo Constantino.
C A R R E T T I I N
S I C I I L Y
Participants in the Annual Parade of Carretti.
Discover Sicily, its history, its roots, its traditions...the playground of the meditterean.
more to follow....!
To contact George Petralia for commissioned works contact him at
petralia@sicilianwoodcarver.com
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