Over the last few months I’ve been working on a number of painting commissions of Rome for an overseas client. You can read a testimonial on a previous blog post about one of the paintings I did for him of the Arch of Titus.
This has involved me travelling to Rome for short visits to gather suitable reference. The last trip in October saw me take a metro ride from the centre of Rome to Parco degli Acquedotti which boasts some fine remains of the magnificent aqueducts built by Emperors Claudius and Hadrian.
It was late afternoon so I worked rapidly on a couple of “en plein air” watercolours. I was looking directly into the autumn sunlight capturing the main section. The longest stretch of the section by Claudius is the most impressive. However, I was also struck by the fragmented parts which stood alone in a field. They were creating some rather beautiful shapes, almost like letters of the alphabet.
I deliberately kept the sky simple as an appropriate backdrop for the ancient architecture.
I couldn’t resist painting a 21″ x 14″ studio watercolour on hand made Fabriano paper of Parco degli Acquedotti in the soft, warm autumnal light which can be seen at my Studio & Gallery in Ponteland.