The Amateur Photographer in Pisa

 

We visit the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo where they keep all the goodies associated with the cathedral. I’m particularly fascinated by hymnals on vellum, hand-lettered and illuminated in the 13th to 15th centuries; they are enormous, heavy with thickly ornamented initials and borders in vivid golds and primaries, bright and fresh as if they were done yesterday. The calligrapher in me twitches - but the life of a scribe would, surely, have been drudgery? (I’m reminded of when I was offered a job ‘calligraphing’ in Chancery hand the minutes of the Corporation of the City of London at the Guildhall. Though flattered and tempted, I turned it down because I couldn’t face a life of writer’s cramp. Poor bloody monks!)

On the first floor of the museum a colonnaded external gallery looks over gardens to the leaning tower. From this angle the tower is very prominent against the cathedral and I set up my tripod. But a young man in uniform stops me.

‘No tripod. Only camera.’

I ask him why.

‘Professionale.’ he replies, wagging a finger at me.

So I rest the Minolta on the balustrade - just like any other amateur.

From ‘Antipasto’ random samplings from various writings made over a few years of visits to a ‘New Zealander’s Italy’
 
© DON DONOVAN

donovan@ihug.co.nz
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Country Churches of NZ 126. Presbyterian Church, Oturehua, Central Otago

I wrote and illustrated Country Churches of New Zealand. It was published in 2002 by New Holland, Publishers and is still on sale in bookshops. The publishers have kindly agreed to me re-publishing some of the book’s images and descriptions in this blog.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, OTUREHUA

I drew the bell tower of the Presbyterian Church, Oturehua because I was fascinated by its leaning cross. Could a magpie have flown into it? Or a top-dressing aircraft? Maybe some local schoolboy had taken a pot shot at it with his .22?

When I asked why, I was told: 'The short answer is that the cross leans over because all attempts to straighten it have so far been unsuccessful...'

Perhaps, as the residents of Pisa discovered long ago, there might be some tourism value in leaving it as it is.

© DON DONOVAN
donovan@ihug.co.nz
.