S.T. Dupont “Trinacria” collection is a special series of Limited Edition Ligne 2 Lighters, one different from the other. The exclusive lighters of 295 specimens are designed by Mario Parascenzo, a well-known Italian designer, and Sicilian ceramic artist, in honor of the famous Santa Maria del Monte staircase in Caltagirone with its 295 steps, each stage decorated with majolica (hand-painted ceramics) paintings.
Each piece of this limited edition collection is unique and the only common element in all 295 pieces that make up the series is the back which bears the image of the Trinacria, a mythological woman with three legs. Ceramic inlays are part of lighters design, with different ornaments depicted on the lighters.
Trinacria, the earliest known name of the island of Sicily was adopted by the island many centuries ago, when it was dominated by the Greeks – a Greek word that means “three pointed”: it recalls the shape of the island, which resembles a triangle.
The Triskeles, symbol of Sicily, finds its origins in the Greek mythology. The head refers to the gorgons, monsters from Greek mythology with golden wings and characteristic snakes instead of hair. They were three and represented the perversions: Euryale represented the sexual perversion, Steno the moral perversion and Medusa the intellectual perversion – a beautiful woman seducing men who, upon looking at her, were turned into stone.
Trinacria symbol which is both the ancient Greek name for modern day Sicily and also the name for the three-legged gorgon is used in the official flag of Sicily and is even represented in the official coat of arms of the region, on a yellow and red background.
Limited Edition “Trinacria”
This limited edition takes its inspiration from this special province and in particular from Caltagirone, a city in the heart of Sicily with centuries of tradition in the production of ceramic arts. Generations of artisans and artists have given life to their creative impulses experimenting with new forms and colors, but remaining always profoundly tied to the history and traditions of their city.
The monumental staircase of Caltagirone is one of the marvels of this city and was originally constructed in 1606 to connect the old and new districts of the city. In 1954 is was entirely re-decorated with the ceramic tiles of the stair rises hand-painted with figurative, floral and geometric elements to create 295 unique designs. Its steps rise 130 meters (430ft long) up to the Church of Santa Maria del Monte and is flanked by balcony buildings. From these 295 designs, S. T. Dupont was inspired to create the elegant lighters of the “Trinacria Limited Edition”, 295 pieces, in their Line 2 Series of palladium plated lighters, richly enhanced in the manner of the Faverges masters.
Each lighter carries on one side a ceramic miniature of the stair motifs created by Giovanna Campisi from the Scuola Ceramisti of Caltagirone and has the extraordinary feature of being unique, since the 295 designs are different. The other side of the lighter is engraved with Sicily’s official heraldic emblem, the trinacria. The oldest version of this symbol dates back to the fourth century before Christ and contains a gorgon’s head with serpent hair and two wings superimposed on three bent legs.
The Greek word triskeles (trinacria in Italian) means three legged – the Triskele or Triple Spiral is a complex ancient Celtic symbol. The modern representation actually used as the shield of Sicily a triskeles symbol and at its centre a Gorgoneion (depiction of the head of Medusa) with a pair of wings and three wheat ears from which three bent legs are arranged in rotational symmetry.
Launch 2007-2008
