From Lucca to Menton

Another travel day, and 3 changes of train, as we farewell Lucca, and catch trains to Viareggio, then Genoa and finally on to Menton, where our wonderful blogging friend Jilly awaits us!

I'm off travelling (today from Lucca to Menton), and as I won't be taking any new shots of Sydney for a few weeks, and I've not taken a computer, I'm not sure I'll be able to post photos. So, I'm publishing some of my art works in the form of Artist Trading Cards. These small canvases are made on card of 69 x 89 mm dimensions (3.5 x 5.5 inches). They are made to trade with other artists, as the name implies. It is extremely bad form to sell them. Any medium can be used, but my preferred method of creation is by using rubber stamps and inks.

Vitruvian Man

We can't leave Tuscany without paying our respects to one of its most famous sons - leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo was a Florentine by allegience, and at one stage served as an engineer in Florence's battle against Pisa in the early 1500s.

Leonardo's famous drawing and notes, entitled Vitruvian Man, was created around 1487. It depicts a nude male figure in two superimposed positions with his arms and legs apart and simultaneously inscribed in a circle and square. It was made as a study of the proportions of the (male) human body as described in Vitruvius. Leonardo believed the workings of the human body to be an analogy for the workings of the universe. It is also believed by some that Leonardo symbolized the material existence by the square and spiritual existence by the circle. Thus he attempted to depict the correlation between these two aspects of human existence.

Today you can find this work referenced in so many images. Many medical bodies use it in one form or another.

I'm off travelling (currently in Lucca), and as I won't be taking any new shots of Sydney for a few weeks, and I've not taken a computer, I'm not sure I'll be able to post photos. So, I'm publishing some of my art works in the form of Artist Trading Cards. These small canvases are made on card of 69 x 89 mm dimensions (3.5 x 5.5 inches). They are made to trade with other artists, as the name implies. It is extremely bad form to sell them. Any medium can be used, but my preferred method of creation is by using rubber stamps and inks.

Pisa

Today we plan to visit Pisa, half an hour from our base in Lucca.

In 2005, while visiting with a friend on a 3 day visit from England, I was robbed, victim of a "crush scam" at the ticket office, in which my bag was cut from me. I lost all my money, cards and all forms of ID including my passport. Let that be Travel Lesson #1 - no matter how experienced you are, don't get blasé about such things. Don't put all your worldly goods in one basket!

As a reult of my stupidity and the robbers' sophistication I had a very quick trip to Rome for an emergency passport replacement at the Australian consulate. They were magnificent - and had me on my way with a temporary passport in about 4 hours.

But, instead of spending a beautiful sunny day in Lucca, riding bikes around the city walls, we found ourselves spending most of the day on trains to and from Rome. But I made sure we stopped by the Trevi Fountain for coin-tossing! Next morning, Lucca was blanketed in mist, and it poured with rain. I do hope to get a trip around those walls on a bike this time! And I'll be hangning onto my things in Pisa with extra vigilance.

I'm off travelling (currently in Lucca), and as I won't be taking any new shots of Sydney for a few weeks, and I've not taken a computer, I'm not sure I'll be able to post photos. So, I'm publishing some of my art works in the form of Artist Trading Cards. These small canvases are made on card of 69 x 89 mm dimensions (3.5 x 5.5 inches). They are made to trade with other artists, as the name implies. It is extremely bad form to sell them. Any medium can be used, but my preferred method of creation is by using rubber stamps and inks.

To Lucca

Heading north from Rome today. We decided to use the walled Tuscan city of Lucca as our base for a few nights. I visited Lucca with a friend in 2005, and decided it was a "must come back to with the boys" destination. Especially considering I did not experience as much of Lucca as I'd have liked, given an unfortunate incident in Pisa, which I'll elaborate on tomorrow.

I'm off travelling (today, from Rome to Lucca), and as I won't be taking any new shots of Sydney for a few weeks, and I've not taken a computer, I'm not sure I'll be able to post photos. So, I'm publishing some of my art works in the form of Artist Trading Cards. These small canvases are made on card of 69 x 89 mm dimensions (3.5 x 5.5 inches). They are made to trade with other artists, as the name implies. It is extremely bad form to sell them. Any medium can be used, but my preferred method of creation is by using rubber stamps and inks.

Arrivederci, Roma

Roman Postcard, 2008
Last day in Rome. I hope I've remembered to throw a coin in the Trevi fountain (I have every other time, and as this is my 6th visit, it must work!). Even more, I'd better remember to post the postcards I made at home and brought with me.

I'm off travelling (currently in Rome), and as I won't be taking any new shots of Sydney for a few weeks, and I've not taken a computer, I'm not sure I'll be able to post photos. So, I'm publishing some of my art works in the form of Artist Trading Cards. These small canvases are made on card of 69 x 89 mm dimensions (3.5 x 5.5 inches). They are made to trade with other artists, as the name implies. It is extremely bad form to sell them. Any medium can be used, but my preferred method of creation is by using rubber stamps and inks. NB This is a postcard - bigger than an ATC.

Caravaggio - the bad boy of Rome

Yes, I know the Louvre isn't in Rome, which is where I am. But there's a Caravaggio painting - Fortune Tellers II in this ATC. I've stood and drunk it in on several occasions. There's another version in Rome at the Musei Capitoline which I hope to see this trip. In fact there are 28 Caravaggios in Rome, and 3 in Naples, all of which hope to see this time.

I'm off travelling (currently in Rome), and as I won't be taking any new shots of Sydney for a few weeks, and I've not taken a computer, I'm not sure I'll be able to post photos. So, I'm publishing some of my art works in the form of Artist Trading Cards. These small canvases are made on card of 69 x 89 mm dimensions (3.5 x 5.5 inches). They are made to trade with other artists, as the name implies. It is extremely bad form to sell them. Any medium can be used, but my preferred method of creation is by using rubber stamps and inks.

Dinner in Rome

I'm at a conference in Rome, which started yesterday, and finishes on Wednesday. Tonight there's a special visit to Palazzo Colonna for a dinner. What I'm hoping is that I have a chance to see Il Mangiafagoli (The Nean Eater) by Anibale Carracci. As well, my favourite Italian artist is Michelangelo da Merisi, aka Caravaggio (1571-1610). The Colonna family were highly influential in his life, including being instrumental in securing Caravaggio several major commissions, and protecting him on their estate south of Rome when Caravaggio had fled that city, accused of murder.

I guess for such an auspicious building, I might even wear pantyhose :-)

I'm off travelling (currently in Rome), and as I won't be taking any new shots of Sydney for a few weeks, and I've not taken a computer, I'm not sure I'll be able to post photos. So, I'm publishing some of my art works in the form of Artist Trading Cards. These small canvases are made on card of 69 x 89 mm dimensions (3.5 x 5.5 inches). They are made to trade with other artists, as the name implies. It is extremely bad form to sell them. Any medium can be used, but my preferred method of creation is by using rubber stamps and inks.