The Story: Freedom has many faces. Every culture has named it, sung it, longed for it. In the hands of Maurizio Orrico and Enrica Vulcano, the testa di moro — that ancient Sicilian icon of love and endurance — wears a crown the whole world recognizes, hand-shaped in the studio of Roges di Rende, Cosenza, Calabria. No two identical. Every ray of her Liberty crown was formed individually, layered in powdered graphite and opaque matte enamel that absorbs light rather than reflecting it — copper burning through in the dark oxidized colorway, blazing in vivid orange. Any variation in the surface is not imperfection. It is the hand.
She belongs to everyone who has ever crossed an ocean — literally, or in the quiet interior of their own life — and arrived somewhere new. This is not a purchase. It is an arrival: a limited edition sculpture, carried across the water to live in your home, each one accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.
The Legend:
In the tradition of Italian romantic tragedy — in the spirit of Romeo and Juliet — a love story unfolded so consuming it refused to simply end.
During the time of Arab rule in Sicily, a beautiful young woman tended her balcony with devotion — her plants, her flowers, her small world of beauty above the street. A Moorish merchant passed below, fell captivated, and told her of his feelings. What followed was a passionate love, immediate, absolute. For a time, it was everything.
Then came the betrayal. She discovered he was leaving — returning to the East, to a wife and children she had never known existed. The romance that had felt eternal had been, for him, a chapter. For her, it was the whole story.
Consumed by heartbreak and fury, she decided to never let him go and, as the legend goes, transformed him into something eternal, turning his head into a vase and planting a sprig of basil inside. She watered it with her tears and the basil grew luxuriantly, lush and fragrant beyond all reason. The neighbors noticed and began creating their own in ceramic — and so the legend spread. Regal, crowned, placed on balconies across Sicily, the testa di moro became a symbol of love, abundance, and good fortune. Centuries later, it remains one of Italy's most beloved icons. A story of loss, yes — but more than that, a symbol of love so fierce it grew into something beautiful. And never stopped growing.
Artist Studio: OVO · Maurizio Orrico & Enrica Vulcano · Roges di Rende, Cosenza, Calabria, Italy
Medium: Handcrafted ceramic with powdered graphite and opaque matte enamel
Finish: Available in multiple colorways · Shown in Vivid Orange Matte and Dark Oxidized Graphite with Copper
Dimensions: 45cm H · 20cm D · 16.5cm D (approximately 17.7" H · 7.9" D)
Weight: Approximately 4–5kg
Edition: Limited · Each piece unique
Certificate: Authenticity certificate included
Each MorOVO ships directly from our partner studio in Calabria, Italy. Complimentary shipping included. Expedited delivery available on select pieces — contact us to arrange.
Every purchase illuminates lives, cultures and communities across the world. LUXUL COLLECTIVE — Light Reflects Light.