Lido di Dante

 

This is a painting that I did from a photograph.  I took the photograph more than 10 years ago in Ravenna Italy.  It portrays a boat on "Lido di Dante:" the beach of Dante.  When Dante was expelled from Florence, he ended up in Ravenna and, in fact, his tomb is there.  I learned that, when Dante became well-known, the people of Florence wanted his body back and wanted his tomb there.  It was not to be because, as I was told, Florence had rejected him and Ravenna took him in.  Ravenna wanted to keep him and had built a beautiful tomb.  The beach is nearby and is on the Adriatic Sea.

I began this painting several years ago, but somehow never finished it.  I think I was saving the paper to make a painting on the other side.  When I saw the painting a few weeks ago, though, I realized it had good potential and so I finished it.  I love the pink horizon and the flash of yellow in the sky and left those alone.  I strengthened the shadows on the boat and the masts.  I am calling it done and I am loving the memory it invokes of my time in Ravenna.

Thank you Louisa

 

This was a big surprise.  Louisa had to go to Whole Foods and asked me for a list of what I needed.  I noted a few things and, when she brought them to me, she also brought this gorgeous orchid. It is tall and willowy and has more blooms that shown here, but I wanted to focus on this one particularly compelling one and its neighbors.

Thank you Louisa!   It wasn't on my list.....