Figurine - Coppia di dame (2) - Ceramic

Lot consisting of 2 handmade artistic ceramic statuettes, called the Pupe di Grottaglie.

History
The Pupa di Grottaglie, also known as the "pupa with the mustache," is a distinctive anthropomorphic ceramic vessel.

Origins and Legend
Context: The tale dates back to the period of Spanish domination in Terra d'Otranto, when the unjust law of jus primae noctis was in force, obliging the bride to spend the first night of her wedding with the feudal lord.
The stratagem: A young winemaker, to protect his wife, decided to disguise himself as a woman and present himself at the castle in her place.
The mistake: The man, in a hurry, forgot to shave his mustache. He was immediately discovered by the castellano.
Punishment/forgiveness: The feudal lord, amused or moved by the stratagem, spared the vintner's life, but ordered him to deliver his best wine in amphorae that would forever recall that mustached figure, i.e., the pupe.

Characteristics and Artistic Meaning
Form and Function: Originally, the pupe were flasks for transporting wine, shaped with feminine features but with the ironic detail of the mustaches.
Evolution: Today, the mustached pupe (and also those without) are produced by Grottaglie artisans as decorative objects, becoming an icon of the local ceramics.
Symbol: They represent cunning, rebellion against oppression, and the artisanal craft of Grottaglie.

The tradition of the pupe is celebrated in Grottaglie's ceramics district, where these objects continue to be handmade.