Il Nasone

Il Nasone

Il Nasone, 8×6″, oil on panelNasone in Italian means big nose. That’s right, here’s a portrait of one of Rome’s famous big noses!I’ve been wanting to paint this public fountain for awhile (this one in particular because of how it is just about to fall over), as it is one of many fabulous things unique to Rome.There are somewhere around 2,500 of these public fountains all over Rome- in and outside the city center. They get their name from the long metal waterspout which curves down at the end and has an endless flow of cold clean water. On the top of the metal nose is a tiny hole (like the blowhole of a whale) and I had to be shown that if you plug the fountain from the bottom, a nice small strem of water shoots out the top making it quite easy to drink from.In fact, while painting this all kinds of locals stop to drink from it: people walking their dogs, nearby workers and even a business man in a suit. These have been a staple and defining characteristic of the city since 1874, and I love that they’re still around every corner. Rome is most likely the only city where one doesn’t have to lug a bottle of water with you wherever you go!You can buy this painting from my website by clicking hereTo see other paintings from the When In Rome project, click here.