Donkey Cart, Sicily, c.1925
Brightly painted pictures are on every surface of this cart. There are pictures of people at festivals, fruits, flowers and angels.
A donkey would have pulled this cart on a fruit farm in Sicily, an island near Italy. The Sicilian name for this type of cart is a âcarettaâ. Carettas were passed down through families. Each generation added more decoration. That is why the caretta is covered with so many pictures.
Carettas were mainly used for transporting fruit from the orchards to the markets. They also carried passengers at festivals. Families took great pride in decorating their carts for festivals.
Even the spokes of the wheels of this caretta have been painted with flowers, fruit, animals and butterflies. A tiny carved and painted cherub has been added to each spoke.
The rear panel of this cart shows a caretta being used at a festival. The caretta in the picture is being pulled by a horse wearing an ornate harness and plumes. Several people are riding in the caretta, including a man playing a guitar. This scene shows how carettas were a focus for festivities and fun in Sicilian life.
