When using photography it is crucial that a painter not merely duplicate the photo. Part of my craft as a painter is to frame a photograph in the viewfinder in such a way that it will serve me well when I render a painting of the scene. In this case a photograph assisted me with one of those challenging scenes in which perspective for windows, roofs and roadway are in the extreme. On our May 2007 visit to Rome this commercial passage between buildings captured my imagination. I loved the arch with its window through which you catch a glimpse of the same bright sky that one sees above the most distant building. I wanted to paint the dramatic darks and lights so they invite the viewer to visually wander down the street. At the foreground of the wall with the motorbikes I used artistic license to create a ristorante with dull interior light. My alternative was to paint the dumpster that was actually there. Although foot traffic at times can be busy in one of these typical streets I found it unoccupied and chose to leave it that way. A couple of people far in the distance carry on the day’s errands. I was pleased with the Christmas season project. This painting is in the possession of a couple with whom we travelled to Rome. I am thrilled each time I see it in their home.
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