I Cipressi

This monograph of fifty photographs represents my homage to the cultural landscape of the Italian region of Tuscany and, in particular, the humble Italian cypress tree (cupressus sempervirens), which epitomises the utopian aesthetic of the Tuscan landscape. The Val d’Orcia was afforded UNESCO World Heritage Status in 2004, as an exceptional reflection of the way the landscape was re-written in Renaissance times to reflect the ideals of good governance and to create an aesthetically pleasing environment. Throughout the Crete Senese and the Val d’Orcia, distinctive groups and avenues of cypress trees mark out the settlements and define routes. Lone cypress trees or pairs are often found atop rolling hills, either by themselves or accompanying individual buildings. The images in this monograph feature both the famous and the lesser known cypress trees of the two regions, taken during five blissful visits over the past ten years.

I. The Crown
II. Smaragdine
III. La Coppie
IV. Oceano di Nebbia
V. Summer Storm
VI. The Stedding
VII. Duo
VIII. Elysium
IX. Bliss
X. Terrapille