Postcard from Palermo, Sicily: Marionettes and mummies

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Above: Museo Antonio Pasqualino Internazionale delle Marionette

Opera dei Pupi, a traditional form of Sicilian puppet theater originally focused on tales of the Crusades and French knights, was on the verge of disappearing when it attracted the interest of surgeon Antonio Pasqualino. He set about collecting everything he could related to the art and sparked the interest of others with the 1965 founding of the Association for the Conservation of Folk Traditions. A decade later, the association established the International Puppet Museum, naming it in memory of Pasqualino following his 1995 death.

The collection has become international in scope and is far from stagnant. The museum fosters cultural exchanges by hosting an international festival annually, nurturing contemporary artists and staging performances for all ages. We were surprised to witness a group of 11- and 12-year-olds howling at every punchline delivered in a dated traditional show.

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Postcard from Morelia, Mexico: Morelos’ call for justice echoes in this hall

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Above: Portion of “Morelos y Justicia” mural, Agustin Cardenas Castro, El Antiguo Palacio de Justicia

Inflamed by the fervor of revolt, Jose Maria Morelos dominates the stairwell of the former governmental headquarters for the Spanish city originally known as Vallodolid on the central plaza of his namesake city. In 1812, the building was repurposed to serve as a mint producing copper coins and postage stamps.

A Belgium engineer hired in 1884 to convert the structure into Michoacan’s supreme court added French architectural detailing to the façade and interior. Particularly distinctive are the pinjante arches, floating double arches with no central support columns.

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Postcard from London, England: Fashion foot forward

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Above left: Hedgehog at the feet of an entombed noble, Westminster Abbey. Above right: Butterfly-wing sandals, Sophia Webster, “Rebel: Thirty Years of London Fashion,” The Design Museum

One might assume I have a foot fetish, as once again I focus on what’s found underfoot of effigies atop monumental tombs of the rich and powerful who occupy prime real estate in churches in Europe. Prior to this, most guardians of the feet we encountered were dogs – beloved lapdogs or prized hunting hounds to offer comfort and protection for the dead.

But the fashion for many of those buried in Westminster Abbey is sculpted to emphasize distinction and convey rank and power. Kings and queens incline toward lions. The regal Scottish red lion posted by Mary Queen of Scots appears assigned to make sure no one attempts to peep up her numerous layers of petticoats.

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