Sala del Costume e delle Tradizioni Popolari

The Sala del Costume e delle Tradizioni Popolari in Corinaldo preserves material associated with the Contesa del Pozzo della Polenta. Costumes, painted banners and models connect a modern historical re-enactment with the town's popular storytelling.

Why it matters

The collection shows how a festival produces its own material heritage. Clothing and banners preserve the work of local makers and the identities represented in the re-enactment, rather than constituting an original Renaissance wardrobe.

What to notice

Ducal garments form a central part of the display in the town hall's basement rooms. Tools used in preparing fabrics add the craft behind the costumes. A wooden model of the well and a model of the fig-wood cannon refer to stories associated with Corinaldo's comic folklore.

Context and history

The Contesa takes 1517 as its historical setting. Competition between the town's quarters has included the right for the winning quarter to represent the Duke and Duchess at the following edition and create their clothing. The collection grew from this relationship between performance, costume-making and local memory, preserving selected garments and objects beyond the events for which they were made.