"La Vecchia" (Old Woman) (c. 1508) by Giorgone

I don't often write about paintings here, which is strange because I actually love art and often find my way around world's museums and galleries whenever I can - made it a tradition that as a part of my sight-seeing I always check what's around, be it Netherlands, UK, Italy, Hungary or Germany (I was not lucky with Barcelona because museums are always closed on Mondays, when I was there). There is a place in Venice called "Accademia" that I have visited countless times, its full of ancient, mostly religious paintings but one stands out because it is not religious but allegorical - "La Vecchia" (Old Woman) shows unnamed elderly woman looking knowingly at us, almost cursing us with her eyes and she holds a piece of paper on which is written "col tempo" (with time) pointing at the truth that old age happens to everyone. It is fascinating painting and a strangely effective idea, but it stands out even more when viewed amongst countless happy saints and cherubs.

Venice's own Giorgio Barbarelli da Castelfranco is shadowy figure and not much is known about his life, except that he perfected so called "sfumato" (the interplay between colours and shadows) that probably impressed young Leonardo da Vinci. He surely knew Tizian and few more famous artists of his time, but only six of his paintings survived to our age. He also seems to have been interested in creating paintings that were neither portraits or religious, but told some allegorical story, like this one. I loved "Old Woman" from the very first moment and often visited her when I had time in Venice - naturally, I couldn't talk to her because of other visitors, but I winked to her. We don't know anything about artist, even less about his subjects so it is very possible that old woman was not really a person but perhaps his idea or at least impression of unnamed woman. Once I brought a friend with me (one of those occasions when I was still enthusiast enough to share my pleasure in museums with other people, I slowly stopped that habit) to show him this painting, but she was absent. I asked the reception guy where is the old woman - "Sheee is in Ameeerica" was the answer, and I was amused that old woman had seen far more of the world than her true human counterpoint ever imagined its possible.