Date: 2014
Medium: o/c
Size: 60" x 36"
Description:
Corporate Collection
“Pliny’s Vigilance”, oil on canvas, 60” x 36
Who is Pliny? Pliny the Elder was a Roman admiral and naturalist. In his book, Naturalis Historia, published in circa. 77 A.D., Pliny stated that cranes maintained vigilance as night watchman by holding a stone in their claw, should it doze off, dropping the stone would startle it awake. I came across this little known piece of lore as I researched cranes in mythology to find a special setting for this White-napped Crane of Asia.
My crane, standing on a Chinese rug draped over a lookout platform, is without a stone. Is the night vigil over or awkwardly interrupted?