My favorite photo I have ever taken is from one of my favorite places in Florence, Italy. I visited the Cimitero di San Miniato al Monte many times when I lived in Florence because it gave me a sense of thankfulness. It made me realize the greatness in my life as I saw so many other people appreciated their loved ones’ lives.
This one image I captured means a lot to me. It was a gravesite that stood out to me against the thousands of graves surrounding it. This man didn’t want his name and the years he lived to be the focus of his life. He didn’t want to be remembered as words and numbers. He wanted his face to be seen at all times. He wanted his friends, family, and any bystander (me, in this case) to see who he was and show himself as a representation of what he loved to do, sculpt.
Behind his head, very faintly, it says:
On the left:
Vittorio Caradossi (his name)
Scultore (Sculptor)
The years he lived, very small in Roman numerals
On the right:
Il tuo dolce ricordo in noi revive nell arte tua prediletta.
Roughly translates to: Your sweet memory lives on in us through your favorite art.
I think that is so thoughtful and meaningful to both Vittorio and his family. He was an artist who will always be remembered that way.
In the photo, I like the contrast of the sculpture against the flatter surrounding tombs. I also like the dark spots on his bust because they make his brow and mustache stand out. Being a visual communicator myself, I appreciated the simplicity of his grave and it immediately told me who he was. The strongest element of this picture is the emotional meaning behind it. I will always remember this man as a sweet, sweet memory.
Marissa Taylor 