Caltagirone Sicilia "Moor's Head" ceramic (clay) planters vases

Caltagirone sicilia, pair of anthropomorphic "moor's head" planters, polychrome ceramic, mid-20th century. Made of clay (and painted) by hand under a glaze, the firing appears to have been done in the raku manner (surface crackling). These anthropomorphic vases or sculptures represent moor heads and appear to date from the mid-20th century. In good condition. Man: 39 X 33 X 30cm woman: 39 X 28 X 26cm the tradition of “teste di moro” (moor's heads) in sicily is an emblematic element of sicilian craftsmanship, particularly famous in caltagirone ceramics. These vases in the shape of human heads, often used for plants, generally represent the faces of moors (or “mori” in italian) and young sicilian women. They are associated with a dramatic and passionate legend that supposedly took place during the medieval period, when sicily was under arab influence. The legend of the “teste di moro”: according to legend, a beautiful young sicilian woman lived in the arab quarter of palermo. One day, a young moor (a man of arab or berber origin) passed by her house and immediately fell in love with her beauty. Seduced, the young woman accepted his love. But she soon discovered that this man was married and had to return to his homeland to join his family. Devastated by betrayal and fear of losing her love, in a fit of rage, she killed her lover in his sleep and cut off his head. She then transformed the head into a pot, filled it with soil, and planted basil in it. The basil, well-fed and exposed to sunlight, thrived and attracted the attention of the neighbors. Jealous of the beauty of this plant and the pot, the residents of the neighborhood began to make their own pots in the shape of human heads. The moro heads have come to symbolize passion, jealousy, betrayal, and attachment to sicily. They have become a symbol of sicilian folklore.