Vatican City

Photographer's Note

Perhaps the most famous feature in the Vatican is the colonnade of marble columns surrounding most of St. Peter's Square. It has been likened to "the maternal arms of Mother Church" embracing the visitors.

There are 284 columns in four rows, each 16 meter high. The colonnade was designed by the famous sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598–1680) and built in the 1660's.

There are many photos on TE showing the Bernini colonnade, but comparatively few seem to have been taken inside it with such a close view of the columns.

This photo was taken in the summer of 1969 and is scanned from, I believe, an Agfacolor CT18 slide. I think the nearest lady's dress may attract more views than the actual colonnade.

I guess a scan of a 52 year old photo should explain the low quality.

An unrelated view is in the WS.

pajaran, ktanska, aliabazari, Fis2, COSTANTINO, pierrefonds, jhm, ChrisJ, jean113, ikeharel, PaulVDV, worldcitizen, mcmtanyel, jemaflor, Royaldevon, adramad, alvaraalto heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

pajaran (115861) 2021-12-19 0:40

Pozdrav.

Lep pogled i trenutak, dobar tekst ...
Lepa stara arhitektura, dobro poakzana sa lepim boajma, kiontartsom, perspektivom i uhvacenim trenutkom sa posetiocima.
Dobar rad sa fotografijom u radionici.
Lepe fotografije dobijene skeniranjem slajda.
Lepo secanje i uspomena.

Zelim vam lep dan za odmor, sve najbolje.
Paja

ktanska (44758) 2021-12-19 1:26

Hej Gert,
This view shows well how huge those columns are. Of course small ones wouldn't work on that location! I have visited the place, but didn't recognize it right away. This could well be from an Italian movie from the same era.
Kari

aliabazari (22149) 2021-12-19 1:30

Hi dear friend Gert
A good view of these beautiful columns in the Vatican. Clarity and exposure are well done. I like the presence of passers-by in a peaceful atmosphere.
With respect ...

jmdias (115128) 2021-12-19 1:59

gert

I liked a lot these two images. I crossed this serie of columns but I had no project to take photos inside as you did. I liked the way the lady is observing the columns. nice view of the ramparts too. rome is one of those places we can be during years and never be able to know everything.

take care

jorge

Fis2 (170717) 2021-12-19 2:51

Witaj Gert!
A very nice photo from Your archive.
I like columns and pavement.
Persons add flavor to this composition.
Good framing and colors.(retro)
Well done.
Have a nice sunday.
Krzysztof

Silvio1953 (221563) 2021-12-19 4:44

Ciao Gert, great perspective on fantastic colonna, lovely composition with walking people, excellent clarity, splendid light and wonderful colors, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

COSTANTINO (116452) 2021-12-19 4:52

Hello my dearest friend Gert
excellent capture with this most
famous feature in vatican...the
colonnade of marble columns...
here we can see the contrast
between the peoples silhouettes and the huge columns...
regards
costantino

pierrefonds (114422) 2021-12-19 5:06

Hi Gert,

The suite of columns is giving dynamism to the scene. The point of view is showing the details of the columns. The light is giving good colors rendering. Have a nice day.

Pierre

jhm (211736) 2021-12-19 5:26

Hello Gert,

You did excellent addition, the people for the scale against the big nice around columns .
You create nice depth and perspective too, nice the curve on end of the corridor
A lovely moment and a very well picture
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John

ChrisJ (171822) 2021-12-19 6:38

Hej Gert

The quality is fine for an Analogue slide film shot from 1969. Good framing and composition and the woman looking up, rather than her striped dress, attracted my attention. Nice repetition of the huge columns with their Doric capitals. Tfs!

BennyV (34748) 2021-12-19 6:53

Hello Gert

A great classic, a fine oldie from the vaults, always worth sharing here! I didn't know these columns were so big and sturdy.

Benny

jean113 (27853) 2021-12-19 7:29

Hello Gert, even 52 years ago you had the natural ability to compose a picture and to also include some people.
As I said before with your last post, we had a very tight time schedule when we visited the Vatican, so we never got to see this colonnade, mores the pity!
The columns are a perfect setting for a photographer to get any number of shots.
Two excellent shots.
Kind regards, Jean.

Gerrit (62042) 2021-12-19 7:32

Hello Gert,
great captue of both the immens eternal colons and the people representing there time in their typical outfits.
thanks and regards,
Gerrit

ikeharel (113319) 2021-12-19 8:42

With consideration that this is a 52 years old photo, Gert, it makes a great impression. The big pillars are awesome and the hanging chandeliers looks attractive elements.
Scale by the people walk through the arcade.
Good evening,
Ike

mehrdad-t (4812) 2021-12-19 9:45

Hello,
The photo is very good.
Thanks for posting

PaulVDV (62886) 2021-12-19 11:06

Hello Gert,
It looked as if the little boy in the photo in the WS wanted to illegally enter the Vatican by crawling up the high wall.
Very impressive colonnade with again few visitors in sight.
Best regards, Paul

lousat (139236) 2021-12-19 11:34

Hi Gert,I think that in normal modern times it is impossible to take such a picture in the colonnade with so few people, maybe now with the pandemic it could but I don't know. Comparison with Pierrefonds' Roman photos proves this. So I accept the quality, which in any case remains excellent considering the years and the means available, and in any case it is also a very good prospect. The WS is also interesting with an imposing perspective on the walls. Have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano

worldcitizen (16068) 2021-12-19 16:07

Hello Gert,
I like the grainy quality of this scan; it makes me really feel like we are traveling back in time. Of course the clothes also transport us back. :-) I can really appreciate the size of these columns as the people walk by. I like the tight, vertical crop, too. Take care!

mcmtanyel (68479) 2021-12-19 17:41

Hello Gert,
Oh, yes, 1960s attire - no shorts! I love the cars in the WS photo. Two good nostalgic photos.
Regards,
MT

jemaflor (147104) 2021-12-19 23:13

Hi Gert,
impressive columns, well taken, good angle and perfect the view of the couple, a good scale for your photo, tfs.

SteveH (8220) 2021-12-20 3:19

Hi Gett, great shot. Inclusion of the woman, helpfully looking upward works well to provide scale. She is well placed I the frame too. Excellent scanning, as always. Amazing that an image from so long ago can find its way all over the world. Chapeau! Steve

Royaldevon (85932) 2021-12-20 13:14

Hello Gert,

I immediate impression was that of a painting, probably because of the textures. But, I love it! The composition is so well created, you completely dictate how the viewers should approach the scene and you shock us with the amazing scale of the columns! The lady (with the striped dress and hat) emphasises the columns by gazing upwards!

Lovely old, scanned photograph,
Bev :-)

ifege (48055) 2021-12-20 20:15

Hi Gert
The lady's dress gives away the era when you took this photo. A good pair from the archives.
cheers
Ian

adramad (72978) 2021-12-21 10:03

Hi Gert.
Magnificent composition that puts all the emphasis on showing the impressive size of this column and the good perspective, the people who walk in front give us very well the proportion of size.
Optimal lighting and sharpness taking into account the age of the material, more than fifty years .....
Good job. I like it.
You have a good day. Very best regards.
Luis.

Tue (92328) 2021-12-21 10:47

Hej Gert,
Et imponerende billede med Berninis berømte søjler, der er så store og hvis detaljer ser meget tydeligt ud i billedet. De fire mennesker er godt kommet med, kvinden med den røde hat beundrede det hele også.
Lars

GyurMaster (24818) 2021-12-21 12:37

Dear Gert,

I wouldn't call it low quality, maybe I would say it is atmospheric. :) Anyhow, you portrayed the breathtaking measures of that place I also walked down in 2008. (Maybe I could also dig up some photos).

Best Wishes,
Gy.

alvaraalto (42804) 2021-12-22 2:39

Hello Gert,
Here you can clearly see “the maternal arms of Mother Church” not only embracing but also wanting to clasp humanity in an embrace that cannot be escaped.
Certainly in Europe, more and more people are escaping this stranglehold.
The woman in the striped dress seems to be an early example of this.
Despite the quality, a photo well worth posting. Wad
Well done
Have a nice day, groet Rob

emka (158128) 2021-12-23 2:31

Hello Gert, Why do you think that I haven't liked this photo? I just wanted to write a critique later. I wondered about the colours of the columns. Shouldn't they be white? I wanted to check it in my photos. Still, I do not know. These columns and small persons remind me of the photos from the hypostyle halls.

Best regards

MAlgo

kasianowak (17676) 2022-01-07 13:05

The quality of these photos is not really that bad. And who cares anyway when we can admire a dress and a car from over 50 years ago? Just like in your previous upload, people also serve here to show the scale of this enormous architecture. I walked this colonnade 32 years ago and can't remember that feeling. Should really visit Rome again.

saxo042 (38078) 2022-01-29 6:01

Hej Gert,
Ett mycket imponerande perspektiv och en mycket liten röd ögonfångare som en viktig detalj.
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