I thought that for the next stage of the mural, I would add a touch of Florida, which is where I'm located. And what better than the brown anole, which is more familiarly called the gecko.
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Actually, the native lizard is the green anole. The brown anole is Cuban and started proliferating in Florida in the 1970s. A more aggressive lizard, the brown anole chased the green anoles off the ground and into the bushes and trees. On any given day, I see a half dozen brown anoles on my porch, but never green ones.
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This remarkable photograph of a green anole eating its nemesis comes by way of Timothy Mitchell's blog, which can be found
here. The scene is usually reversed.
And so, because I associate the Cuban anole rather than the green anole with my environment, I have placed him at the top of my Carracci wall. A lamp is below this image, so in real life the anole would be in the very same spot, waiting for a morsel to happen by.
In my next posting I'll add one more element to the living room wall, then I'll pull back to reveal that part of the mural, completed. I hope you'll join me then!
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Dear Mark, It shows what a wonderful artist you are. Your gecko sits perfectly on the railing. He has become part of the scene rather than floating on top.
ReplyDeleteDear Gina,
DeleteThank you for your kind words. Yes, he is gripping the edge, and I have no doubt that he could run across the ceiling upside down if he were so inclined. It would be interesting to see the gecko's feet greatly magnified.
A fun and unexpected touch! I like the addition, Mark. Look forward to seeing an updated overall shot. Cheers
ReplyDeleteHello, Loi,
DeleteI like a little bit of whimsy every now and then, and the detail is the sort of thing Pompeians would do. I hope you're having a great weekend!
Hello Mark, You have captured that look of expectant attention perfectly. As with European still-lifes, there seems to be a moral or symbolic lesson behind the lizard as well as a decorative one. Factoring in your design for the clipeus, we recall the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam: They say the Lion and the Lizard keep/The Courts where Jamshyd gloried and drank deep.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Hello, Jim,
DeleteI did not have symbolism in mind when I painted the lizard, but your elegant comment has lead me to an interesting book from my library by Ted Andrews, "Animal Speak." It's a fascinating look at animals as totems, and what they symbolize to different cultures. The book says that the lizard is an expert in subtle perceptions and is therefore often associated with the intuitive and psychic. The lizard also has acute hearing, which I didn't know, so perhaps he will be a reminder for me to listen better!
Mark the little gecko looks perfect perching atop your railing. I actually am happy when a gecko comes around or even enters my room when traveling!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
Dear Karena,
DeleteI am very comfortable with geckos, and enjoy watching their antics. But I have to shoo them out of my house because they will set off my security alarm!
Love this! just like Herend, KPM, Meissen which love to add little painted bugs on their plates! Charming.....
ReplyDeleteI've always liked that sort of thing, too. I've been thinking of adding a little moth flitting too close to him — what do you think?
DeleteLooks great, Mark! Hope to see more on this as it progresses.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Alan! Your site (and sight) is always an inspiration to me.
DeleteDear Mark - the gecko has to be the perfect choice for your mural - not only does it reflect your own habitat in Florida, but it is also very similar to the Lacertidae. P. sicula - the Italian Wall Lizard which does precisely what its name suggests, and especially so in Pompeii where they are a common sight running up and down the walls in the sunshine.
ReplyDeleteDear Rosemary,
DeleteYou have introduced me to the Italian Wall Lizard, and he seems to be much more substantial than our delicate gecko. I do like his stunning coloring, with that stylish green stripe going down the spine. Leave it to the Italians to have even a stylish lizard!
Love the little bit of gecko whimsy, Mark. :) I was hoping you'd add something like this to your mural and now you have.
ReplyDeleteHello, Yvette,
DeleteAs I study Pompeian murals, I'm often struck by how so many of them have a certain whimsy, and I think the gecko is actually quite in keeping with what the Pompeians might have done. I'm glad you like it! :o)