Constantinople A & M

Constantinople A & M

This title is no way related to a college such as Texas A & M.  It is in fact shorthand for what the subject material is all about.  Constantinople is the ancient name for Istanbul Turkey which sits on the edges Asia and Europe.  A & M is a substitute for Ancient and Modern.

This painting is the result of a trip my wife and I took a couple of summers ago.  I travel light but always with my iphone that has a pretty good camera and my Canon G10 point and shoot camera.  Istanbul is a truly modern city with upscale public transportation including lots of TAKSi”s.  Because our location was so convenient walking was the best way to get around.  The modern populace was also accustomed to pedestrian travel.  This scene is a mix of tourists and residents crossing a street on their way to one of many attractions.  Turkey is a Muslim nation and Istanbul is home to many mosques.  One of the most notable to us westerners is the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia.  Feature is this painting in the background is the Blue Mosque shown in the distance.  The combination of the ancient Blue Mosque and the modern pedestrian street crossing truly speaks to the title of the painting, Constantinople A & M.