A Walk Among the Wonders of Lessinia, in the Valley of the Sphinxes
At the end of March 2025, I discovered the Valley of the Sphinxes, one of the most fascinating places in the Regional Natural Park of Lessinia, in the province of Verona. It was a splendid day, with a blue sky crossed by white clouds, perfect for walking, observing, and allowing oneself to be surprised.
The Lessinia attracts me in an irresistible way. Perhaps also because my paternal grandmother, whom I never knew, was born here. Every visit to these places gives me a feeling of deep and mysterious rootedness.
Shapes, Silences, and Encounters
The “sphinxes” are enormous monoliths of limestone shaped by time and atmospheric agents. The landscape is both primordial and surreal. Walking silently among these fantastic forms, I noticed a majestic solitary beech that towers on the top of a hill. From up there, it dominates the entire valley. I immediately felt it as a strong and gentle presence, stable and protective. A silent guardian. It came naturally to me to call it “The Guardian of the Sphinxes”.
The Birth of a New Artwork
As always, I first observed the tree for a long time. Then I started photographing. The process I follow is not random: each work is born from multiple shots conceived in sequence and subsequently overlaid to create a unique image, suspended between reality and vision.
The final result is a fine art photograph printed in a limited edition, part of my life project dedicated to trees. The image is the result of photographic overlays performed on-site, without random interventions in post-production. Every step is guided by what I feel.
This is how “The Guardian of the Sphinxes” was born, a new work of the project WHISPERING TREES – trees that whisper.
If you wish to see the creative process that led to the birth of this work, I have created a short video-story in which I accompany the observer in the Valley of the Sphinxes, among the rocks of Lessinia and the visual genesis of the final work.
👉 Watch the video
Discover more destinations in the category: TRAVEL AMONG THE TREES
