La Primavera at Il Giardino

 

 

 

We're right in the midst of Spring Break here, a good time to linger in Il Giardino Italiano.   This time, we've walked to the Lower Fountain, taking a different path than along Opera Walk.

 

With spring in the air and this view of the garden, my thoughts turned to "La Primavera" – one of Botticelli's great paintings. 

 

I rather literally thought that "primavera" meant "first green" (wishful thinking) – but the "-vera" part simply means "spring," and "prima," recognizably, means "first" or "early." 

 

I've mentioned my fascination with the Faces in the Crowd of many major paintings, the intriguing "supporting characters" to the main figure.  This time, I was taken with the young female on the left of the threesome who represent The Three Graces.

 

 

Hmmm.  Do you see any correspondence to The Lower Fountain?

 

Of course, I had to put these two faces together --- even if it took me hours upon hours to get the features on those tilted heads more or less correctly placed.

 

Here's an early layout in paint:

 

 Again, I spent HOURS trying to get to this stage of the sculpted female head.

 

And then, didn't the young runner – training for the Vancouver Marathon? – need a little more oomph to her outfit than the brick-red sports bra?  Yes! For her running tights, I borrowed some flowers from – well, who better than "Flora", the fully dressed figure towards the right?

 

 And here's the final:  "Spring Break at Il Giardino" (copyright 2022).

 

 A final thought on primavera  – early spring -- from American poet Robert Frost, who has always been a favourite of mine for his perfect poem, "Nothing Gold Can Stay."

 

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.