Day 52: The Flea Market, Piazza dei Ciompi

Day 52: The Flea Market, Piazza dei Ciompi

This is a unique place in Florence. It’s a weird little permanent flea market in the middle of town chock full of old treasures. The city declared it an eyesore last year and said that they are moving it farther out of the center to a newer baren piazza. I don’t know the latest with the story, but for now it’s still here, and I like the eceltic look of it in the otherwise formal aestetic of the city.

I rode around a lot this morning unsure of what to paint. I found this spot, but it was less than ideal. In order to really get the larger view that I would have liked, I would have needed to stand back farther, but I couldn’t as the whole place is blocked by cars, trucks, motor scooters and bicycles chained to the surronding fence. So today’s lesson for me was one in composing. I took what I had and composed this little view into one of the stalls at the market. I wedged myself between a car and a van to paint this, with one leg of the easel up on the sidewalk and the others inbetween the cars. Getting creative! What caught my attention, apart for my general affection of the run down look of the place in the middle of this Renissance town, was the contrast of the light and shadow. I love the effect of the strong light here in Italy, it has it’s own unique feel to it.

Today not too many people stopped to look or chat, just a few tourists who wanted to take my picture and a shop owner who was glad to see a painter out working. I’m glad I made it work and was able to get a painting of this place in the end because it is what I wanted to paint, but at first just didn’t know how to make it work in less than perfect circumstances.

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