View from Circo Massimo, 6×8″ oil on panelThe Circus Maximus is a unique spot in Rome- it’s where the Romans used to hold chariot races and is a long oval racetrack surrounded by (now ruins) up on the hills.I wasn’t planning on painting this view, but as I was walking along I loved the light and the grouping of buildings, so I stopped to paint it.After painting I took a good long walk all around the Roman Forum, the ruins, the Coloseum and old temples and I was a little overwhelmed by the scale of things. The Romans seemed to have built these structures as if they were built for giant gods, nothing was made to human scale and it is awe inspiring. With all of the tourists and silly men dressed in gladiator suits I forgot the significance, power and beauty of these things and how lucky we are to have them with us more than a thousand years later. You can bet I will have more paintings to paint of these magnificent places.To view or buy today’s painting or to see other paintings from the When In Rome project, click here.