Lecce｜When Paper Becomes Art: The Magic of Cartapesta

✨ In this Baroque gem, even humble paper transforms into masterpieces! Discover Cartapesta - Lecce's 300-year-old paper-mâché tradition: 🖌️ Alchemy of Simplicity = Paper + Glue + Plaster + Infinite Patience • Looks like carved marble or wood • Weighs less than your travel guidebook! Where to Find This Paper Magic: 📍 Via della Cartapesta (Paper Art Street) Shop windows burst with Baroque angels 😇 and dramatic masks Watch artisans shape wet paper into saints before your eyes Pro tip: The gold-leaf finishing makes them glow like real relics! ⛪ Sacred Deception Some church statues you'd swear are stone... ...until you learn they're lightweight paper! (17th-century hack: When marble was too expensive, monks got creative) Why It'll Blow Your Mind: ✓ Delicate rose garlands that feel like stone ✓ Saints with fabric-like robe folds (all paper!) ✓ A living tradition - new artists still train in the old workshops Take Home: Small cartapesta ornaments (perfect suitcase-friendly souvenirs!) #Lecce #ItalianCrafts #BaroqueArt #HiddenTalents