Il Gatto Tigrato di Ercolano

Print description

I created this print after visiting Ercolano, focusing on the Casa del Rilievo di Telefo and the many details that make this one of the most interesting houses in Herculaneum.

What caught my attention first were the red columns of the atrium. They create a strong rhythm through the house, with the spaces between them revealing different rooms, decorations and views. I was fascinated by the contrast between the Pompeian red stucco, the pale stone and marble, and the intense Mediterranean light. The columns, hanging marble decorations, floors and fragments of decoration all come together to create a very rich architectural scene.

I also wanted to include some of the smaller details that are easy to miss. One of my favourites is the marble water basin, with its unusual shape resembling a truncated, fluted column. It is a beautiful object in its own right and adds another strong form and texture to the composition.

And then there is the cat. Cats seem to have made themselves part of the archaeological landscape of Ercolano, moving around the ruins as if they have always belonged there. In the print, the cat is resting in the shade.

Print details

To create this print, I begin by making individual drawings in ink, which I then bring together to form the final composition. I scan these original drawings and digitally add colour. The finished design exists solely in digital form and is printed using archival inks on fine art paper. I release the design as a limited-edition print, available in standard ‘A’ sizes, ranging from A0 (84.1 × 118.9 cm) to A4 (21 × 29.7 cm).