ABSTRACT
The palio race has commemorated the history and cultural life of Italian cities since the thirteenth century, when the proliferation of feast days coincided with growth in population and commerce. The palio race was the culminating, profane event in a series of sacred offerings and processions, and may have descended from the chariot races held in Roman Italy for pagan festivals. The governments of such cities as Florence and Siena organised and paid for the palio. Italian cities were highly regarded for their silk fabrics. Cities commissioned the largest and most opulent palio banners for the feasts of patron saints. Making the banner was a collaborative effort, involving the craftsmanship of banner-makers, furriers, painters and even nuns. The palio banner challenges preconceptions of how Renaissance society valued art objects, since the cost of making the banner often equalled or exceeded payments for paintings by well-known artists. Following the feast day, the banner and its pieces were recycled.
