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| Renaissance saying on the armchair, dated 1556. Credit: Deruta Ceramics Museum. |
CHI LAVA IL CAPO ALL'ASINO PERDE RANNO E SAPONE
The English translation of this famous Italian proverb is: He who scrubs the head of a donkey wastes both soap and ashes (which means that it is very difficult to let someone who is stubborn change his mind. Therefore you waste your time and efforts).
In Italy, a donkey is an animal representing a stubborn person or a person who does not deserve your help and attention. By helping such people, you may receive a kick or more than one in return.
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| Armchair's detail |
Now let's interpret the Italian saying:
Soap translates "ranno e sapone". "Ranno" was actually the mixture of boiling water and ashes used to do the laundry with the addition of soap in times past.
Laundry in Deruta and in many villages in Italy was a choral event. There were community founts ("fonti") for the laundry. In my town, this place is on the main street going uptown from the Borgo to the Piazza, on the left side of the street. Indeed we call this street "Le Fonti".
You may find a beautiful example of Renaissance visual interpretation of this proverb at the Ceramics Museum of Deruta, in the shape of a wall plate dated 1556 - CHI LAVA EL CAPO A LASINO SI PERDE OMNI FATIGA (He who scrubs the head of donkey wastes all efforts)
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"Le Fonti" street is currently closed for works of consolidation of the City Walls of Deruta. In order to visit downtown Deruta, it is necessary to take the street called "Le Cerquelle" (the Street of Little Oaks).
Update April 2011: the street has been reopened.
Blog post updated January 2021.
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FRIENDS OF CAMA
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