The Gendarme with the whistle, Place St Michel, Paris

Comments

Login or register to add a comment

No comments

I risked life and limb to get the photograph from which this painting was taken. I'm in the middle of the road with the river and the Pont St Michel behind me, facing La Fontaine on theright. Like an F1 start, engines and drivers poised for the gendarme's signal at which all hell breaks loose. I ran out on her whistle, got my shot and legged it back to the pavement. The attraction was obvious; contre jour, a hazy early morning backlight, bouncing off the vehicles and softening everything on view. I've used a tight palette including complimentary combinations to evoke the light, with lots of lost edges and the odd found-edged counterpoint. The whole thing is an exercise in timing and hinting, with the white of the paper frequently called upon to play a part.