A few paintings from a four day trip to Rome. I was looking for bigger views, where the foreground, middle-ground, and distance work together, so I walked a lot. The August heat and the mass tourism made work difficult.
The Gardens at Villa Borghese. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
For the first time in my life I also had the police tell me to put my painting equipment away in Piazza Navona. Another Italian cop later apologised to me and said there was a problem with that particular spot as there was some issue with the guys who sell paintings there. At any rate, plein air other painters should be aware of the situation. Despite 400 years of painters depicting Rome and its beauty, the police might hassle you if you’re painting in the more famous areas.
Piazza della Madonna dei Monti. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
I painted a couple days with Kelly Medford, Marco Carloni, and the local plein air painting group. It’s always much easier to find to good places to work by traveling around with the locals. Rome has just a ridiculous amount of subject matter, one would need 4 years there to do the place any justice. 4 days is way too little.
Roman Ruin #1. 30 x 20 cm, oil on panel.
Roman Ruin #2. 30 x 20 cm, oil on panel.
Cypresses at the Colosseum Entrance. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
Colosseum in August. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
The first painting for instance is a model of conciseness! Your art to some extent reminds me of the famous French painter Albert Marquet. It is so difficult to keep the essential in a landscape. Bravo, sir!
Nice pieces bruddah… Thanks for posting… The cop story is hilarious
Marc, your Navona experience sounds similar to my experience of getting told to pack up my stuff painting in the Forum this July. I felt rather sad to be told that the Forum was now out of bounds for painting. It looks like you managed to get away with it though!
Thanks for posting up so much great stuff, I have learned a huge amount from you blog.
Tom