Italy: Life, Joy and Inspiration

Two years ago I was in busy Rome, wandering the lively picturesque streets, filling my sketchbook, enjoying the bustle of outdoor cafes and crowded piazzas. Today, when we are all holed up in our houses trying to keep the Covid-19 pandemic from overwhelming the world, that freedom seems long ago and far away. Beautiful, unique, magnificent Italy overnight has became a cautionary tale: we've seen the populace retreat indoors as the numbers of cases and deaths mount to frightening levels, leaving the streets empty. Much of the rest of the world has now followed suit to prevent a similar scenario, but Italy has given us another kind of model, one of spirit and togetherness in the face of grave adversity, when music and singing began erupting on balconies all over the country.

In tribute to the brave people of Italy and their beautiful country, here's a new scene from one of my Rome drawings. The location is the Campo de Fiori, a popular morning market between the Piazza Navona and the Tiber River, where you'll find meats, cheeses, flowers, good spices, and lots of nearby cafes and small restaurants.

For me this scene has a good sense of the Italian embrace of life, with the sunny yellows of the buildings, some richer and more elegant than others, ringing the piazza in a warm hug as people go about their business. I picture all these windows opening to share waves, greetings, and music in this period of enforced isolation.
Creating the scene, I saved the market til last, loving the fun of filling in colors, bringing the street life into being. I hope this brings back your memories of sunny, colorful Italy, and inspires you with the Italian joy in life.
PS - the statue in the middle of the Campo de Fiori is of Giordano Bruno, a philosopher who was burnt alive for heresy on the spot in 1600. Grim, but he has been regarded as a symbol of freedom of thought - another inspiration.
Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think!