Impression of a Town

An expressive and dynamic mid-century modernist painting that captures a vibrant urban townscape street scene,  executed in oil onto canvas and dated 1970.

The scene unfolds from an elevated perspective, looking down a narrow street flanked by terracotta rooftops, brown and sand coloured façades, and other architectural forms. A cluster of rooftops and chimneys gives way to a distant dome, while a tall crane looms subtly in the background.

Painted with vigorous, assured brushstrokes, the work blends figuration with abstraction, favouring impression over precision. The artist employs a warm, earthy palette – orange, mustard, slate, and burgundy – offset by cooler greys and whites that evoke a moody, overcast sky. Areas of thick, dry brushwork and layered paint convey the texture of old walls and cobbled ground, while vertical lines and angular forms lead the eye deep into the composition.

Lively yet grounded, this piece wonderfully captures the atmosphere and rhythm of everyday life in a city as it quietly unfolds.

This oil on canvas is housed in a complementary gilt frame. The painting is in excellent vintage condition, and the frame has minor scuffing.