Togetherness in Old Age in Italy

Together old in Italy 01 - by Miki

Travel sketch in ink and watercolour. From the new series “Togetherness and Loneliness in Old Age”.

I spotted these 2 ladies on a bench in Lucca, on the promenade on the city wall. I was delighted by the expressions in their faces, also by the contrast between their black clothes and their faces and the coloured background. I did a quick sketch, but in the heat of the moment, listening to all these secrets they were telling each other, i forgot to take a photograph to refer too later.. Well, just a sketch, but quite funny I think, and quite typical for how I perceived old women in Italy: still enjoying life!

Together old in Italy 04 - by Miki

I spotted this old “couple” in Pietrasanta (Tuscany I think… too lazy to check if Pietrasanta is really still in Tuscany!). Another way not be lonely in old age, a certainly very rewarding one…

Together old in Italy 05 - by Miki

And I saw these 2 guys chatting in the sea town Camogli on the Italian Riviera. Simply a great motif!

Togetherness and Loneliness in Old Age

Together Old in Italy 01 - by Miki

As I was travelling through Italy in April and May 2011, I decided to start a series called “Loneliness and Togetherness in Old Age”. The idea of the series came as I saw this striking old couple in Montepulciano, Tuscany. I had painted an old couple once before , it was during my Portugal trip in 2008, an old couple walking through the streets of Lisbon, a simple but striking sketch which received many compliments and has been featured on many occasions all around the world  (such as a magazine cover related to International Old Peoples Day in Costa Rica…).

So here it is, the first Togetherness in Italy,painted in watercolour and ink on site. Well, the drawing has been done there (secretly, I had to hide not to disturb the scene), the colours have been added later in the day at home (well, in the motorhome).

I love old people, somehow when I look at them, the expression in their eyes, the whole body language, I get very emotional. I absolutely can’t stand that they get hurt in any way, physically or psychologically, it just breaks my heart. This is why it will be an immense joy for me to work on this new series. I plan to follow the series in all the countries we are visiting, of course I wished I had had that idea before! But well, “mieux vaut tard que jamais!”

There are big differences between the European countries, how the old people take part in public life. I was amazed and so happy to see them everywhere in Italy, in the streets, the parks, the beaches… I remember from my time in Germany for example that in the big towns one hardly saw old people outside.. anyway, it will be very interesting to carry out this project, to see the differences, to see how old men and old women behave publicly differently according to the country… a big project this, a little bit scary perhaps,but I think this is the best homage I can render as an artist to Old People!

And here is the first of the Loneliness series. That old lady was sleeping on the bench, late afternoon, somewhere in Tuscany. I found the scene very touching. Makes me want to cry, somehow…

Old and Alone in Italy 01 - by Miki

These paintings are available as Giclee prints in many dimensions and as Greeting Cards. If you are interested to purchase some,  visit my Fine Art America Gallery or drop me a line