By Laura Bonelli

Since the Second World War few artists have alternated in the painting of the banners. In addition to Bruno Marzi, who painted eighteen and all three of those of 1950, was Vasco Valacchi, heir of the most sincere Sienese tradition, who was called eleven times by the City to express himself with his reassuring and traditional compositions inspired by Renaissance models in addition to Dino Rofi (8) and Ezio Pollai (7 of which 2 with Plinio Tammaro).

It will be necessary to wait until August 16, 1963 to see a completely revolutionary work take to the field. Two young artists, teachers at the Art Institute of Siena, Ezio Pollai and Plinio Tammaro, conceived a polymaterial work, inspired by Pop Art, introducing, between silk and tempera, also sand and embossed copper and using the bottom as a theatrical backdrop completely painted. The road was open. For the extraordinary palio of 21 September 1969 dedicated "to the conquest of space" was given the assignment to Mario Bucci said Mars, an emerging painter active between Siena and Lugano who conceived the work using different techniques from screen printing to photography creating one of the banners destined to enter the artistic history of the genre.