Robert Flinkman

Robert Flinkman
Roman Forum
pastel on paper
17" X 22"
1977
copyright 1977 Robert Flinkman

February 28th, 1977           Friday

The next day was spent at the Vatican and the museums there. We explored much around there. Saint Peter's is really quite beautiful, and so much there to see. The Vatican has a nice museum of all sorts of treasures. After every day we found ourselves tired, quite tired. The Roman Forum was explored. The next day I was at the Forum and was in the process of doing a scene, a classical one, of the three columns. In the midst of this , a guard came up to me and asked me if I had permission for this. Permission? But why? He tried to tell me, but then let me work on. I got some of it done, the pillars are, of course, completed. Tired of working, I put them away, and Perry and I continued on. I had thought the guard to be kidding. Permmission to do a scene in artwork of the forum? One can take photographs - but for a painting - permission?
All sorts of people came around to watch me. Toward the end I was surrounded by a group of Communist Chinese - all wearing Mao suits. I smiled quite friendly, and they back. Peace, friends. Germans, English and Americans I talked to. Italian children were nice, friendly.