Quite frankly I am bothered. This photo has been hanging around in my consciousness for about two months. I took it while in Venice at the Basilica di San Giovanni e Paolo, located near our bed and breakfast. The colour is original. I have not enhanced nor filtered it.
There is a story in the placement of these chairs and whatever that story is, it’s sitting in me, but I haven’t been able to voice it.
So what’s bothering me? There is a tension in this scene. The orange glow is so intense it belies the idea of rest. Who would sit in these chairs? A priest or two in a red robe?
Who put these chairs here consciously with the colour in mind? Why? The paint on the wall behind is probably hundreds of years old. The Church itself is one of the largest churches of Venice and has the status of a minor basilica.
It is a huge structure and is the Dominican church of Venice. The construction of the wall behind was completed in 1430. That’s about 100 years prior to Columbus hitting the West Indys. It is popularly known as the Pantheon of Venice, and houses monuments to no less than 25 doges.
But still those two chairs sit, beckoning me. They look well cared for, and are placed strategically. Their legs are very cat like, as though they may sprint into action, and the feet are just across the line in the tiles.
The chairs also do not touch the back wall and the one on the right is slightly lower than the left. None of this, of course, really matters as it’s simply a picture of two orange chairs in a basilica..and yet they draw me in. Strange, yes?
Photo Credit
“Orange Chairs” © 2009 Chris Holt Photography
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Not to add to your misery Chris, but is the floor slightly sloping? The chairs appear to be the same size looking at the photo!