The Story

Inspired by my travels in Florence, Italy, Self-Portrait as Florentine Fresco draws inspiration from the ornately painted ceilings of the Palazzo Vecchio. Their scrolling vines, flowers, animals, human, and mythological creatures create the kind of imaginative, dreamlike world I explore in my own paintings.

I was staying just off Piazza della Signoria and wandered into Palazzo Vecchio on my first day in Florence. I was awestruck by the beauty and intricacy of its ceilings. This was the first painting I created during my time there, and it became the starting point for the series that followed.

In the painting, I embrace a mystical creature amid curling, decorative forms inspired by the ceilings. The textured white background was inspired by a plaster wall in the apartment I was staying in. Everything in Italy is beautiful and layered with history.

Materials & Framing

This painting was created with archival oil paint on a museum-grade panel, using luminous mineral pigments derived from lapis lazuli, azurite, rhodonite, and traditional Italian earth pigments. These richly colored materials have a deep connection to art history.

Lapis lazuli, azurite, and earth pigments were treasured by Italian Renaissance masters for their depth, brilliance, and enduring beauty. 

The painting is presented in a hand-painted, carved wooden frame made in Italy. The frame was carefully selected to echo the ornate architectural details, decorative flourishes, and gilded surfaces I encountered throughout Florence. 

Self-Portrait as Florentine Fresco

oil on panel

5 x 7 inches

$1,500 USD

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