costruire un nuovo alfabeto

11:23 May 7, 2014 

Having spoken to the client, she confirms that the phrase does not refer literally to the letters of the alphabet (or to graphic symbols per se) but rather to the seemingly new visual language that this strange, unfamiliar landscape produces (when depicted). Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.

10:17 May 7, 2014 

Yes, ok, fine, point clarified

09:38 May 7, 2014 

Thank you, but I think we are talking at cross-purposes here. It is clear that "break the mould/new dawn" don't fit here - which is why I posted the question in the first place. What I meant (and I apologise for not explaining myself properly initially) was that if the meaning were not literal, then I "guessed" the broad idiomatic meaning of the phrase (as I suggest above ) was "something along the lines of " "break the mould/herald a new dawn"; I was not suggesting that either of these fitted - they clearly don't - but meant that the general (idiomatic) sense was similar, ie: something that introduces change or is different from what has come before or, as in this case, been seen before - as you seem to confirm: "a new landscape"/landscape unfamiliar to him. I hope I have clarified what i meant. Thanks again for your time/input.

06:40 May 7, 2014 

Thank you, but I do not agree with you but agree with philgoddard who said translation must be more literal than what you suggested-mould etc. The landscape he found resembled the painting, something unimaginable for him before-he never thought he would find it like this

20:51 May 6, 2014 

No, I had the brief before posting the question but I explicitly said (see question) that I was not looking for a literal translation. Thanks again.

20:01 May 6, 2014 

Maybe you received the brief later than we posted as otherwise you should have put it so we could help you better. Your answer is liberal but conveys the meaning I explained/imagined it meant. I agree that break the mould or herald a new dawn do not fit here

19:44 May 6, 2014 

Thank you both for your input. However, I don't think the meaning is literal here. I think Josephine's suggestion comes closest. Thanks to Phil's suggestion for " controluce" and Josephine's suggestion for "costruire un nuovo alfabeto" I have come up with the following 'working' text: " ....branches of trees silhouetted against the backlit sky seem to create an ethereal (or: a wholly new) landscape, like nothing ever seen before"

It's longer than the original and liberal rather than literal, but the brief from the client was to focus on the meaning of the text rather than produce a word for word translation. I will check with the client to make sure this is the correct interpretation but in the meantime,all comments gratefully received!

17:25 May 6, 2014 

I agree with your understanding of the text. Will try to think of something, not necessarily outlandish. The painting he saw and the landscape have something similar