Piazza Napoleone, from a different age.
I think what I find so appealing about Lucca is the same thing that attracts me to Venice and that is the timeless feeling of the old town. It is probably also for the same reason and that is that there are no cars and few intrusions from modernity. The whole centre within the city walls is a pedestrian zone and bicycles are the only concession to modern transport requirements.
Even the tourist horse and carriages look at home in this ancient environment. At the heart of the town sits the Piazza Napoleone lined on three sides by old and statuesque plane trees filtering the strong sunlight into a gentle dappled light as it falls on both the walls of the buildings and cafes beneath.
Having painted many smaller pieces of Lucca, I decided that this big subject could translate well to bigger canvases carried by the boldness of the earth colouring of the background building and the detail of the unhurried human activity in the foreground cafes. An interesting rhythm is generated by the arches and window shades whose regimentation is broken by the foliage from the trees and the dappled shadows on the walls behind.