Pompeii

Pompeii, Italy

7th or 6th century BC

One hears the wind caressing one’s body, and the sound of one’s feet walking on the cobblestones. There are window and door openings in all the buildings but no one is there to greet you. Pompeii, is shrouded with a blanket of silence. Walking thru Pompeii, reminded me of the mythical town Comala, in the Mexican novel Pedro Paramo, only an occasional voice that echoing amongst the quiet walls one doesn’t know if it’s real or not. Sketching a view of Pompeii with Mt. Vesuvius that destroyed its life, was eerie and magical. A city that once thrived and was witness to lives and dreams buried under layers of volcanic ash. Some inhabitants forever encased for the museum display. We imagine, we build, we think we will last forever and eventually time consumes us and our creations.

“Pompeii was an ancient Roman town-city near modern …Pompeii, along with Herculaneum and many villas in the surrounding area, was mostly destroyed and buried 13 to 20 ft of volcanic ash and pumice in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Its population was estimated at 11,000 people, and the city had a complex water system, an Amphitheatre, a gymnasium, and a port. The eruption destroyed the city, killing its inhabitants and burying it under tons of ash. Evidence for the destruction originally came from a surviving letter by Pliny the Younger, who saw the eruption from a distance and described the death of his uncle Pliny the Elder, an admiral of the Roman fleet, who tried to rescue citizens. The site was lost for about 1,500 years until its initial rediscovery in 1599. The objects that lay beneath the city have been preserved for more than a millennium because of the long lack of air and moisture. These artefacts provide an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city during the Pax Romana.” Wikipedia

Florence, Italy, 1296-1887

Brunelleschi, Cambio, Giotto and De Fabris.

The impression of this magnificent cathedral is greatly enhanced by the comparative scale to the smaller buildings and the immediate surroundings. Walking through narrow winding streets, upon arrival at the large plaza one is instantly overwhelmed by its imposing presence. Climbing the tall 463 steps inside Bruneleschi’s dome is an experience that everyone should try once in their life. With your heart beating fast from the arduous climb, the reward of seeing Florence from this height is both exhilarating and magnificent. The grand “ il Duomo”, is a remarkable feat of design, engineering and construction. Drawing this particular view of the cathedral, was difficult and challenging. The temperature was about 33 degrees, I didn’t have gloves and for about two hours with frozen fingers, I sketched quickly while moving to avoid being hit by Italian drivers. This building has inspired countless creative pursuits and has provided a lifetime of memories for those who are fortunate to experience the work of Brunelleschi, Cambio, Giotto and De Fabris.

“The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (Italian pronunciation: [katteˈdraːle di ˈsanta maˈriːa del ˈfjoːre]; in English "Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower") is the main church of Florence, Italy. Il Duomo di Firenze, as it is ordinarily called, was begun in 1296 in the Gothic style with the design of Arnolfo di Cambio and completed structurally in 1436 with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi. The exterior of the basilica is faced with polychrome marble panels in various shades of green and pink bordered by white and has an elaborate 19th-century Gothic Revival façade by Emilio De Fabris. The cathedral complex, located in Piazza del Duomo, includes the Baptistery and Giotto's Campanile. These three buildings are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site covering the historic center of Florence and are a major attraction to tourists visiting Tuscany. The basilica is one of Italy's largest churches, and until development of new structural materials in the modern era, the dome was the largest in the world. It remains the largest brick dome ever constructed.” Wikipedia

 Florence, Italy, 1345

The Ponte Vecchio, has been an iconic presence in my life and has served as milestone marker in the changes that my life has taken since my first backpacking trip. When I stand at the same location along the Arno river since 1984 to sketch it time and time again, I ponder upon the different chapters of my life and what I am living at that moment. It’s a bridge unlike any other in the world. As Florence is the cradle of the Renaissance, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Giotto, Dante, Donatello, Brunelleschi and Machiavelli, walked the same bridge steps one is walking. They undoubtedly also stared at the water flowing beneath to the Mediterranean ocean. The bridge not only serves as a means to cross the Arno, but it’s also the home to families who live above the shops that manufacture and sell jewelry below. The bridge for me is a metaphor of “bridging” our lives with people close to us, our history and our stories. 

“The Ponte Vecchio is a medieval stone closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge over the Arno River, in Florence, Italy, noted for still having shops built along it, as was once common. Butchers initially occupied the shops; the present tenants are jewelers, art dealers and souvenir sellers. The bridge spans the Arno at its narrowest point where it is believed that a bridge was first built in Roman times… It has always hosted shops and merchants who displayed their goods on tables before their premises…It is said that the economic concept of bankruptcy originated here: when a money-changer could not pay his debts, the table on which he sold his wares (the "banco") was physically broken ("rotto") by soldiers, and this practice was called "bancorotto" Not having a table anymore, the merchant was not able to sell anything. During World War II, the Ponte Vecchio was not destroyed by Germans during their retreat on the advance of the liberating British 8th Army on August 4, 1944, unlike all other bridges in Florence. This was allegedly, according to many locals and tour guides, because of an express order by Hitler.” Wikipedia

Rome, Italy, AD 72-80

Tiny kittens with their mothers meowing asking for food are the friendly reminders of the wild beasts that terrorized the participants inside. The kittens were jumping the scattered stones on the cobble stone street and allowed me to pet them as I was sketching the Colosseum. I had some leftover salami and cheese saved in my backpack which the cats ate rapidly. The kittens with their mother followed me for a few hundred yards hoping for more of the delicious mortadella, of which unfortunately I had run out. A group of Italian school children with their teacher were visiting the Colosseum and I unexpectedly became the curiosity of the children as they were intrigued the emerging sketch in my book. Gathered around me, their teacher was asking me about myself and why I was sketching. “This young man came all the way from China to sketch this building here in our city where you live, don’t you think you should appreciate this building more? Excuse me young man, what city in China do you come from?” he asked, “I was born in Mexico!”, the children broke out in spontaneous laughter. 

“The Colosseum also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre is an oval Amphitheatre in the center of the city of Rome, Italy. Built of travertine, tuff, and brick-faced concrete,[1] it is the largest Amphitheatre ever built. The Colosseum is situated just east of the Roman Forum. Construction began under the emperor Vespasian in AD 72, and was completed in AD 80 under his successor and heir Titus. These three emperors are known as the Flavian dynasty, and the Amphitheatre was named in Latin for its association with their family name. The Colosseum could hold, it is estimated, between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators, having an average audience of some 65,000; it was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry, and a Christian shrine.” Wikipedia