Progress has been slower than I’d have liked as I’m also working hard on finishing my current book, but there are three new historical landscapes, of Seville, Cordoba and Madrid, plus a more abstract painting of the Alhambra of Granada.
‘Seville historical landscape’ is a large 30” x 48” oil and mixed media painting on board, with collage and acrylic spray underpainting. I’ve used vivid, lively colours to evoke the multicultural history of the city, as well as its tradition of flamenco. On the left, the image of Christopher Columbus relates to the maritime past of Seville and the importance of international trade which relied upon the great Guadalquivir River that flows through the city. Columbus is buried in Seville cathedral.
The historical landscape of Cordoba is a 18” x 30” oil and mixed media work on board. Its composition reflects the wonderful red and white horseshoe arches of the Great Mosque. The images inside three of the arches focus on three great scholars who were sons of the city, the Jewish polymath Maimonides, the physician al-Zahrawi and the philosopher Averroes, both Muslims. The other arches suggest the tradition of bullfighting in the city, and its renowned equestrian academy.
