21 April 2015
Bahrain National Museum Hosts ‘The Sicily of the Leopard in Piraino’s Collection’
Celebrating 2015 as the ‘Year of Heritage’ under the slogan ‘Our Heritage... Our Wealth’, Her Excellency Shaikha Mai Al Khalifa, the president of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, warmly welcomes the Italian exhibition ceremony of ‘The Sicily of the Leopard in Piraino’s Collection", on 21 April 2015 at Bahrain National Museum at 7:00 pm. The exhibition is held in collaboration with the Italian embassy and the kingdom of Bahrain and showcases a gorgeous collection of 18th -20th century Italian style historical clothing and accessories.
Bahrain National Museum will exhibit a collection of over three thousand items, ranging from clothing to accessories, the core of which is the collection of Raffaello Piraino, painter and former professor of History of Costume from Palermo, Sicily. From the 1980s to date, the Piraino collection has been showcased on numerous occasions in Palermo and in museums worldwide. It is the first time, however, that the collection is exhibited in the Middle East. The display at the National Museum of Bahrain coincides with the ‘Grand Italian Ball of the Leopard’ and features ten exquisite handmade garments, originally owned by the Sicilian Aristocracy during the time of ‘Gattopardo’ in 1860. Elegant, ornate ball gowns and ceremonial menswear of the period make Il Gattopardo an indispensable look at the best of Italian style history.
Driven by his passion for art, Professor Piraino has spent his life compiling garments and accessories. The prestigious Piraino collection consists of a wide variety of costumes, headdresses, and accessories from Sicily and Europe that date to the eighteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century during the reign of ‘Gattopardo’ in 1860. The collection of Raffaello Piraino represents the initial core theme of the museum and comprises of approximately 860 complete dresses and as many pieces between corpini, douillettes, paletots and manteaux as well as popular dresses, civil and military uniforms, dresses for children, dresses for weddings, for mourning, etc. datable from 1700 to 1950 and from several Sicilian families. The current selection illustrates the craftsmanship of the artisans of that time and the sophistication of the Sicilian society. It also includes some rare examples from the reputable fashion houses of Christian Dior and Worth
