Massimo Stecchi and Milo Manara to Paint Siena's Palio Banners for 2019

The artists for the 2019 Palio di Siena have been officially announced. The first race on July 2 will feature a banner by Massimo Stecchi (Siena, 1954), who replaced Giosetta Fioroni after she withdrew due to health issues in March. The second race on August 16 will be painted by Milo Manara (Luson, 1945). Fioroni (Rome, 1932) was originally chosen alongside Manara but stepped down. Stecchi is a Sienese painter; Manara is a renowned Italian comic artist and erotic illustrator known for collaborations with Federico Fellini and Enzo Biagi. The Palio banners, called "drappelloni" or "cenci" in local dialect, have been created by numerous artists since the 18th century, with international names like Fernando Botero and Renato Guttuso among past contributors. The banners are presented days before the races in Piazza del Campo and often spark debate. The 2018 extraordinary Palio banner by Gian Marco Montesano was poorly received.