Welcome To The Fifteenth Century by wysiwig
Close
Hover over top left image to zoom.
Click anywhere to exit.
Members remain the original copyright holder in all their materials here at Renderosity. Use of any of their material inconsistent with the terms and conditions set forth is prohibited and is considered an infringement of the copyrights of the respective holders unless specially stated otherwise.
No AI - This artwork was created entirely by hand or with traditional digital tools.
Description
This image always makes me think of what England might have looked like in the fifteenth century.
Despite its shortcomings, Nepal is a fascinating country. One should exercise caution when shopping, however. Everywhere I went I was accosted by men of all ages trying to sell me something. "Dis veddy, veddy old. Veddy, veddy old." Everything was an antique. One day I was approached by a teenager who wanted to sell me a knife. He launched into the standard sales pitch. "Dis veddy, veddy old." Before he could continue I snapped back. "OLD? Why would I want to buy something OLD? I want to buy something NEW!" The poor kid had never heard a reply like that. His brow furrowed, he looked down at the knife then at me and then at the knife again. He slowly replied, "Well...its...its not THAT old." You have to give the Nepalese credit, they never give up.
Every day the vendors would lay out carpets and display their wares in front of the Manju Deval temple that dominated Durbar Square. When a friend of mine had come back from a visit to Nepal several years earlier he had proudly shown me the hand carved bone figurines of Buddhist deities he had acquired for the bargain price of five dollars each. I was determined to bring back my own treasures.
One day, while standing in front of one fine gentleman, I saw some figurines, blackened with age and began bargaining with the man on price. He had assured me that they were 'veddy, veddy old'. At the next carpet over were an English couple. He, dressed in a knit shirt and shorts and lobster red from the sun. She, dressed in a nice yellow sun dress and large, floppy hat, lest any stray sun beam strike her milky white skin. The Mister looked at me bargaining and began to chuckle. Curious, I asked him what he found so amusing. He told me he made his living importing goods from Asia and was well acquainted with the "hand carved" figurines in which I was interested. They were, in fact, fiberglass chess pieces from Taiwan painted with shoe polish to make them look old. The salesman looked crestfallen but, in the Nepalese tradition, refused to give up. Pulling out a cigarette lighter and flicking it on he began to pass it under the figurine. "See? he said, It does not melt." "Neither does fiberglass", the Englishman replied.
Comments (16)
This picture is really beautiful and moody. I love it.
Wonderful story and great photo sounds like you had an interesting time
this is really a giant step back into the old world. very impressive cityscape
Hard Times.... Interesting shot. Aloha
Your story is funny and sad at the same time. The picture reminds me of pictures from war regions. Many people posers backgrounds in the "end-time" style. Your picture shows the reality! Very good pic!!
I love the lighting and atmosphere of this picture. You're right about the resemblance. Funny history, reminds me of the workshops that manufacture antiques at Copan.
Perhaps a glimpse of old England as it might have been!
Great story, Mark! There is a very melancholy feel to the photo.
parts of England aren't far removed from this now. A wonderful narrative full of your marvellous insight and this is a marvellous picture
As usual a great story which I enjoyed immensely! If you keep those treasures long enough, they will be antiques. Sad photo, it is dark and damp and smoky and repressive feeling. It conveys a lot.
SPECTACULAR SHOT! GREAT IMAGE! YES I BELIEVE YOU ARE RIGHT, IT LOOKS SOME OLD PRINTS OF EUROPEAN CITIES IN THE 15TH CENTURY, BUT NOT ONLY (POSSIBLY ROMAN STREETS LOOKED SOMETHING LIKE THAT) PLUS CARTS, CARRIAGES, HORSEMEN, CATTLE ETC.)
I am speechless Mark, this photo is right up my alley - your composition of this alley way - a real life characterization of Nepal, could be easily a mysterious movie scenario ... BB (aka blondeblurr's butterfly resort ;)
Fantastic capture.
Amazing scene.
great story, Mark, one of many in your gallery. I remember a 16 year old in a back alley in Chicago, telling me, "they lie and pull your arms at Saks and Neiman Marcus, why is it wrong for me to do it in the 'hood? At least I'm not getting tons of money for the s___ I sell..." Love the "well...it's not THAT old" comment. It's a living. Even if your sales guy has to give up his sales pitch, he gets a sale. You know, I saw your comment to Andrea's Buddha piece, I knew you'd have perspectives most wouldn't have known, and I imagine you've seen more street buddhas for sale than anyone on this site, along with having seen great and beauteous buddhas too. So you know the many ways an icon is transformed by a culture. (And btw, anyone who mentions 'Ho Tai' in a comment is tops in my book! Along with the buddhas of Sarnath.) So, buying buddhas in buddhist countries probably has all kinds of rich stories and overtones for you, considering that there are probably as many types of buddhas in asia as there are christs in the west. Love the story and details. As for the shot, whoosh: Big shadow-drenched, aged looking and very teeming street scene, encased in enough shadow to have emerged from a cave---which is I assume how many streets look around the world. (I've seen many of them here, yet our mainstream culture here is infant compared to those in asia---and compared to our much older antecedents here, too.) Love the curved pov, and how it wends its way to the light, coming out of the shadow as if out of the ages. (I studied with some yogis and yoginis who spent years in Nepal, and their stories felt the way this shot looks---dark and dingy and mysterious and filled with humanity.) Another very rich post from you, from story to encrusted amazing image. Yours is one of those galleries we can feel grateful for.
Incredible and fabulous place !!!