Monday, June 1, 2009

San Gimignano










San Gimignano
Towers
Tuscany


The thirteen towers of the medieval town of San Gimignano in Tuscany must have inspired the skyscraper builders of the 20th century - in essence, the first Manhattan skyline. I used a bit of poetic license with the village structure here because I really wanted to test the Phi- 1.618099389 swirl in the whole picture – on the buildings themselves, in the Tuscan sky, and upon the earth on which it is all built. And the red terracotta roofs went right off!

In the left-hand bottom corner the roots reach out to a silvered stream. The stone bridge defied the swirl and took on magic of a controversial sort. The towers were built as defenses against marauders. I suppose the higher the tower the better the defense. When a Pope moved in here he built the highest tower and then whacked a Papal Decree on the town – his was forever to be the highest tower by half an inch – and that is as it remains to this day.

Gouache, acrylic, glitter and oil on paper, 2006

Kaitiaki: Paroa Hotels & Motels, Poutini Coast, NZ

inanga

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