Bologna (February 2005) — Mark Johnson

The tomb of St Dominic (“L’Arca di san Domenico”) was sculpted first by Nicola Pisano (around 1267), showing scenes from the life of St. Dominic. In this panel, Dominic is having a vision of Ss. Peter and Paul, who commanded him to “Go out and preach.” Dominic took this as a command to disperse the Brethren of the Order throughout the world (according to Constantine of Orvieto’s life of Dominic). It is possible that St Thomas would have seen these panels.

Behind (and under) Dominic’s tomb is this golden reliquary, which contains Dominic’s skull.

The straight-on view of the tomb, with another of the panels sculpted by Nicola Pisano, showing the cure and conversion of Reginald of Orleans (on the left) and Innocent III’s dream about St Dominic and how his order would save the Church.

The center of Bologna is effectively one large cloister, with colonnades threading throughout the city. Here is a shot of one such colonnade, near San Domenico.

I am soooooo trading in my Hummer to get this little car!

This is San Domenico, taken from directly in front. It is far to say that this church underwent dozens of alterations throughout its history (built, added to, suppressed, reacquired, restored, bombed, restored, restored). Poor thing.

San Domenico at night. Darn this slow film! I couldn’t find any film faster than 100 ASA in the tabacchi near San Domenico. Peccato.

From atop my hotel in Bologna (a wonderful place called Hotel Touring, just a block away from San Domenico) I could see San Domenico, through a sea of terra cotta rooftops. The picture didn’t turn out very well, but PhotoShop and AutoFX’s AutoEye helped out.

Going out from my hotel I saw…snow? I hadn’t planned on this.

I came over to the cloister at San Domenico to get a tour of the whole place. But it really is snowing.

More of the cloister. Beautiful green grass.

Another shot from inside the cloister.

After my tour I came out and, man, it really was snowing a lot. But I’m sure that the snow will stop in time for my plane departure the next morning…right?

Oh, well. I may just as well try taking a “depth of field” shot from here inside the now-blanketed cloister. Don’t focus in on the very front, but just behind it. Speed, stop, and click. It came out very nice.

St Dominic, perched on top of that column, takes it all in.

All this %#!&$ snow is going to make me miss my plane back home! (which it did!).