The old walled city of Dubrovnik was once known as The Republic of Ragusa. It ranked among the world's great trading powers in the 15th Century, when it built this palace for its rulers. This staircase is one of its more memorable sights. I was astounded to see a huge hand coming out of the wall to support the hand railing I was using to haul myself upwards. It seems as if the strength of the past is sealed within that very wall, extending a small part of itself into the present to help us ascend the stairs to view the rooms from which this place was once governed. Talk about a wall that speaks! My image is very simple – built on a series of interlocking diagonals. The hand railing is the dominant diagonal, complemented by the diagonal flow of the steps and the rows of old stones in the wall. The incongruity of the exaggerated hand coming out of the wall is the force that makes the wall speak and the viewer listen. I originally posted this image in color, but later took a look at it in black and white. In monochrome, it becomes more surrealistic and timeless.