Paper sculpting: the Art of cartapesta in NAPOLI

The Neapolitan artisans who make crib figures are famous all over the world, but not all of us have had the surprise of coming across life-size figures. The characters of the Neapolitan theater like Eduardo De Filippo, overlooking a balcony in Via dei Tribunali and the famous soccer Diego Armando Maradona walking in the street; or ordinary people walking through the city: a beautiful woman walking through Piazza del Gesù, a man with an umbrella in the wind in Piazza San Domenico Maggiore.

These marvelous figures seem to be made of wood or even marble, but this is not the case because the material used by the craftsman who makes them with passion is papier-mâché: it can be very strong but also very lightweight. What is papier mâché or cartapesta? The Italian tradition of Cartapesta dates back to the late 1600’s. It had its origins in Naples with presepe (nativity) figures as well as the life-size models of saints made for Holy Week processions, lighter to carry than wooden statues. If you want to see these life-size figures you can go to Claudio Cuomo’s laboratory, one of the best Neapolitan artists. His masterpieces are exhibited in many art galleries, but you can also find them around the city.

“The technique is very simple – says Claudio Cuomo- I start with giving volume with the paper and some sheets soaked in the glue, then I work with my hands. It’s a job that you learn by doing it. I also learn from mistakes, which are part of the creative process “. And so he invented the child with the balloon, the colorful fish, revisited the classic horns to wish good luck to friends.

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Tonia Limatola

My blog tonialimatola.wordpress.com/