Italy

Pentimenti The word "pentimento" in Italian strictly speaking means repentance or regret. Venetian Lagoon Burano The fishermens' houses are proudly painted with strong colors in this quiet village at the north end of the lagoon. Venice The photos show some of the back door areas of this city of fabled beauty. Chioggia The base for a major fishing fleet, Chioggia also reflects some of the beauties of Venice.

The basic elements that contribute to Italy's great beauty are the antiquity of the towns and cities; the earth tones of the buildings and the innate sense of sophistication and style of its people (the characteristic of "bella figura"). The photographs in this gallery first cover the Venetian Lagoon, where water and land are inextricably mixed. Then there are the photos of the walls and windows, followed by courtyards and doorways. There are just a few photos of the vistas of the land. Although the views of Tuscan hills and scenes of hill towns are extremely beautiful, such photos are common and widely available in other venues. Finally, there are a few shots of people since the main theme of the gallery is not people but the natural and man-made environment.

Pentimenti
The word "pentimento" in Italian strictly speaking means repentance or regret. In artistic terms, however, it refers to an image that was previously painted over and that has emerged through the process of cleaning or is simply the result of fading of the last covers of paint. A pentimento reveals a depth behind a work of art that could extend back into antiquity. Although the images presented in the gallery do not necessarily contain pentimenti, a close examination may reveal some. There are two images on the first page of the gallery that would appear to have images emerging from the past but these are more likely to be artifacts. resulting from the graffiti on the wall.

The painted walls of the hill towns of Italy are always the color of earth; the various shades, tones, and tints of red, orange, and yellow. These colors have great appeal to me, and together with the possibility of the pentimenti and the shadows and shapes on the walls from the objects that are placed on them provide the basis for this gallery.

Venetian Lagoon
The Venetian lagoon is in the northwest corner of the Adriatic Sea. At the eastern end there are the islands of Torcello and Burano; the former noted for its church and latter for the colors of the fishermen's cottages. In the middle lies the magnificent city of Venice. And at the southwest end of the lagoon are found the islands of Chioggia and Pellestrina, just above the delta of the Po River. Chioggia is sometimes referred to as a miniature Venice, since it, too has canals and ancient buildings. Chioggia is currently the base for a large fleet of fishing vessels, as well as the source of numerous vongole farms, where the delicious clams are produced.

Walls and Windows
The shadows on the earth tones of the walls of the old buildings hold a particular attraction for me. Even where the walls are mottled by graffiti or damaged plaster, they have an integrity that I find charming.

Courtyards
The courtyards of Italy invite one to enter and to explore. Often there are lovely stairwells that beckon intriguingly, and lead to delightful surprises.

Vistas
The landscape of Italy is remarkable. Below the flat lands of the Po valley, the Abruzzi mountains form a spine for the Peninsula. Tuscany, together with the great cities of Florence and Siena, are a never ending source of beauty along the rolling foothills of the Abruzzi. Umbria, which straddles the spine contains the beautiful hill towns such as Assisi, Gubbio and Cortona and the walled cities of Arezzo and Citta di Castello, each with its own set of attractions and unique history.

People
It would be possible to produce several books of the people of Italy, where style is part of everyday life even in the smallest of hill towns; where tolerance and friendliness are constant and where the food is meant to be enjoyed.