Stone Arches

On a recent walk in Duke Gardens with Moomin Light, we passed the construction site of a stone bridge. The classic stone arch surrounded the pass under for the water. Up on the bank, a little further down the path, were the wooden forms used by the masons to construct the arches.

Except for the plywood (which is modern) this is how stone arches have been constructed for hundreds of years. It's how they built the massive vaults of the cathedrals of Europe. Going back much further, I'd bet Roman masons used it, too, to build arches like the ones on aqueducts. Seeing the stone work, finding the forms, thinking about the joy of working with rock, and feeling the connection over so many centuries, made me grin hugely.

Click images for larger views.

On an unrelated topic:
Winter Dreams is ready to paint - and I have ideas for a Winter following the Autumn painting I did several weeks ago.