Cavalleria Rusticana - 'Turiddu, Santuzzo and Lola at the Church Door' 1910

Editor: This is Byam Shaw's oil painting, “Cavalleria Rusticana - 'Turiddu, Santuzzo and Lola at the Church Door',” created in 1910. It's such a dramatic scene, full of emotion. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: I am interested in how Byam Shaw utilizes materials to depict social drama within this piece. What kind of labor and materials would have been available, affordable, to the women to produce the highly decorated dresses they wear? Notice also the church doors as the backdrop: it is all artifice that masks the grim economic and moral realities of the rural, turn-of-the-century, Sicilian experience. How does the artist build upon those ideas? Editor: The vivid red, blue and white hues, especially on the trims and hems, stand out in contrast to the drab stone architecture behind them. The central figure also has particularly vibrant red and white striped socks. Were these specific color palettes available due to innovations in dyes at this time? Curator: Exactly. We should consider the global circulation of materials and technologies at the time. Artificial dyes had become widely available, transforming textile production and consumption. Consider also how access to vibrant colours allowed working people to reflect personal aspirations within these clothes made for specific holidays, feasts or processions. Byam Shaw draws our attention to the very construction and materiality of garments, how they express social standing and belonging, as much as personal choice. What can you find that suggests social and gender dynamics at play here? Editor: I noticed one woman is openly displaying distress, while the other has more closed off body language and looks almost disdainful. How would these costumes affect women's roles in early twentieth century Italian communities? Curator: A critical question. Clothing could be both a symbol of their place within their patriarchal community but also an instrument for social contestation. Perhaps that's the key to understand these strong colors within this oil on canvas medium! Editor: It's fascinating to consider how Byam Shaw's piece really weaves together class, labor and emotions in such a complex scene. Curator: Indeed. This work now provides so much depth as a materialist analysis piece.