Pizza in Pienza – written and illustrated by Susan Fillion
David R. Godine, 2013
Pizza in Pienza is a distinguished work of picture book art. It is not only about pizza, nor only about food, not that those would not be legitimate subjects in and of themselves. Concise and poetic text in both English and Italian relates both the history and meaning of pizza. Careful design, with richly colored images framed by white space, is as visually delightful as the meals represented. A rich cast of characters includes modern gardeners and shoppers, a queen of Italy, and the Mona Lisa delicately holding a slice of the food consumed by “…Egyptians and Babylonians…Armenians and Israelites,..for centuries.” The abundant back matter includes a pronunciation guide, historical background, and a recipe, of course, for pizza. In her note from the author/illustrator, Susan Fillion explains why the topic of pizza has both specific and universal value.
The book begins with non-ironic humor, as Fillion juxtaposes a portrait of Queen Margherita in 1889, and one of herself seated on the steps of her home between some lush plants. Both the pictures themselves and the sometimes unanticipated connections between them remind me of Maira Kalman, and also of cubism, fauvism, and medieval art in their use of perspective and color. Food is everywhere, sometimes as one element of a scene (“My favorite place to go is Giovanni’s, and my favorite food is pizza.”) and sometimes as the subject of a still life (“Here in Italy, we eat our main meal at midday.”) In addition to pizza there is: l’insalata, il risotto, I biscotti, il formaggio, l’acqua gassata, plus equally beautiful utensils for consuming them.
Fillion leads up to history in a natural transition, as she pictures herself researching history in the library, and the presents the ancient world: “Incredibile! Scopro che la storia della pizza è antica. Davvero moto antica.” Modern pizza originated in Naples, and readers learn that the mozzarella used in the recipe came from water buffalos, and that the first pizzeria in the United States dates from 1905. If you already knew those facts, you have probably never seen them visualized this way. A picture of two male and one female soldier enjoying the food after World War II is also poignant, optimistic, and quietly humorous.
Picture books with food themes have become something of a trend, perhaps because adult and young readers both relate to them. There is nothing trendy in this book, just a carefully composed and insightful look back into the past of a food, and its ongoing relevance to “tutto il mondo!”
Imaginary Elevators 