I
finished this little painting on my 50th birthday, last week;
appropriately enough as it is very much to do with the passage
of time.
The clock is reputedly one of the
oldest in Venice, on the church of San Giacomo de Rialto,
which is just behind the Rialto market. I did the pen and
watercolour drawing from my sketchbook. It's only a modest
little pen and ink impression, but its just the sort of thing I
love to do 'on the spot'. Subjects like this just make me want
to sit and draw them, and always have done.
The clock only has one hand, and the
dial is 24 hour. Apparently it never worked properly when it was
first built, (c.1490s?) and has never kept good time in its
history. However the Venetians are very fond of it.
It may not give you the correct time
of day, but it will always give you a sense of the timeless
nature of Venice.
© All Content Christopher Fothergill 2007