Diane Epstein, an American fine art photographer has made Italy her home since 1995. She has a keen eye towards bringing to life Ancient and Renaissance Rome, as well as other old-world cities. Epstein captures an original view of the monuments, statues, fountains and the hidden with a textural, timeless quality. With her own innovative form of photography, she revives the large-scale narrative painting and panoramic vistas of another time, while still retaining the architectural details of today.

Epstein's signature "fresco" style of photography is created using a distinctive technique of layering multiple images, including ancient sites and the richly encrusted walls of Rome to design a painterly, textured picture, developing an illusion of shape and depth on a two dimensional surface. She manages to portray visual ambiguities to allure the eye, with painted pillars, columns and cupolas that cast depth into the viewer's space.

Rather than seven layers of paint applied to a plastered wall, Epstein's fresco series may use seven or more layers of photographs taken in old world cities of today, dissolving into elaborate displays of ethereal architecture and spectral visions of what lies beneath the surface. Epstein often uses a color palette of burnt Roman ochre, sienna and amber glow, as well as misty blue and pewter. She uses the purity of color that remains on walls from pigments used by Italian artisans of the past. Epstein also touches on the mystery of place and time with her sepia-toned images of European street scenes and her black and white images of nature.

To view the photographic images go down and click on each gallery below. then use scroll bar at bottom from left to right. Image reference numbers can be viewed by resting mouse over each image. For additional photographs by Diane Epstein visit the website links below.