Primavera Toscana

Poppy fields in Tuscany.

I have read the quote “If you don’t like green, don’t visit Tuscany in May”, attributed to Michelangelo. In May one finds countless shades of green in Tuscany, from deep Cypress to pale silver Olive leaf. Electric greens from early May’s grass, young grape leaves, and the chartreuse of the Poplar trees. Greens I can adore visually, but how to paint them? The complimentary color of green is red, and so with the addition of this prodigious wildflower to the landscape my problem is solved!

One can never predict where a poppy field will erupt in color from one year to the next, and I’ve only recently come to appreciate the magic of these magnificent displays of color -  swathes of Ferrari-red blooms dotting the green of the May countryside - swaying lazily in late afternoon breezes. I adore the poppy flower and take such joy in painting them.

Caroline Zimmermann

"Caroline in Tuscany"