City lights and shadows

by Christian Ovís

City Lights and Shadows depicts a wide city street with classic cars between tall building façades. The evening sky is purple, lilac and soft pink. Warm street lamps, shop windows and illuminated windows are reflected on the gleaming road surface. A dark car stands prominently in the centre of the foreground. Along both pavements, people appear as small silhouettes amongst the points of light.

The composition uses the long rows of façades to create depth. Windows, balconies and rooflines become smaller towards the background and lead towards the lighter centre. Blue and purple shadows fill the buildings, whilst yellow and orange bring the street to life. Loose brushstrokes soften the contours of the cars and figures. The reflections extend the warm lighting right down to the bottom of the picture and connect the different parts of the scene.

This atmospheric city wall decoration is ideal for a living room, hall or study. Purple and blue combine well with dark or neutral furniture; the yellow highlights add a warm accent. A plain wall gives the long street plenty of space. From a distance, the central car and the deep perspective lines stand out. Up close, the small façade details, silhouettes and fragmented reflections on the road surface become visible.