It’s of Washington Square Park. You can see the fountain through the opening of the archway. It’s lit up with a soft golden light and draws t
he eye because the rest of the piece is in shades of blue and green. The lighting and colors seem to me like the hour or so right before sunrise. It’s still night, or rather, early morning. I like the whole setting.
Coming back to this painting, I’m noticing the intricacies of the arch and fountain. I feel like the artist spent a lot of time sketching the arch and looking at it and studying it before this painting was completed. The fountain also has a lot of detail, even though it’s only half visible through the archway. In contrast, or rather, as a balance, here’s almost nothing in the background. It’s just a wash of blue, lighter than the arch, but still a very rich blue. The colors would fit in underwater scene.
