The Home Art on Via F. Crispi, 63 in Florida (SR), a museum, houses the collection of Maestro Francesco Lombardo
operating in Palazzolo Acreide (SR), until 1954.
A private collection of Giuseppe Lombardo exhibits and testifies to the uniqueness of valuable pieces of papier-mache masks and
horses, made between the ´30s and ´50s and spread in the province of Ragusa and Syracuse, as well as in other provinces and in
the USA, marks today an important milestone in the art scene in the province of Syracuse.
A collection that testifies the uniqueness of working with papier-mache, the activity of the master, brilliant and simple, gave
smiles and joy to children.
The Museum then gathers the pieces of photographic evidence and processing of Maestro Francesco Lombardo remembered by the epithet
”Don Ciccio Dry Pasta” in his lab that produced toys and masks of various art forms.
Don Ciccio had realized, even monumental sculptures and ornaments of urban furniture, art nouveau of the first 900.
In his memory, October 27, 2007 the Administration of the town of Palazzolo A. (SR), has named an avenue in the historic garden of
the Villa Comunale and the exceptional event was activated a service for the special date ”in collaboration with the Italian Post
Office branch in Syracuse.
FRANCESCO LOMBARDO, Palazzolo personage of artistic interest;
“... his was the dream factory, the place of magic and fiction, the space of the eternal smile .. and .. that in carving the stone,
takes the forms of neoclassicism ibleo and refers to the first tentative shoots of that liberty style in a few years become the
official style in our area for over thirty years ...“, so I described the Superintendent Art , Professor of Art History of the Academy
of Fine Arts “A. Gagliardi“, Prof. Paolo Giansiracusa;
“... an artist because it reflects a significant craftsmanship is not very common and also with several signs of stylistic
characterization of taste and truly original formalization, two aspects emerge, first the artist´s inclination to play a childish
world on the other there is the most solemn which is manifested in more austere stone work, but mainly related to the game to the
construction toys that are really valuable ...“ as he described the anthropologist and director of Casa Museo A. Bird A. Palazzolo
(SR), Dr. Gaetano Pennino;
“... a pioneer in the production of toys and masks, had the ability to give joy and happiness to children, which remains an important
page in the history of folk traditions ...“ as he described the Expert Pedagogue Traditions Prof. Nello Blancato;
“... has been for generations past a reference point for popular culture, was the manufacturer of games of masks and balloons, an
artist of a certain finesse in the cemetery where Palazzolo A. significant are works of some importance ...“ as he described the Mayor
of Palazzolo A. (SR), Mr. Domenico Nigro.