Livestock market

The first Sunday of every month, a livestock fair is held in Osteria Nuova, a small town near Rome.

I don't like places where live animals are traded, but am drawn to them... It was packed with people, and quite cold, so I realized a few quick sketches to which I added a splash of colour later at home.

On the right are black pigs from Rieti, a town north of Rome. It's an ancient breed of pigs that used to be bred in the wild and almost became extinct around the 1950s. They have now recovered.

Here on the left, is another endangered breed, the Amiata donkey, from Tuscany. These gentle creatures are now the subject of many scientific studies aiming to gain enough knowledge to preserve and protect them.