Piccadilly Circus, London 1875 - 1930

This unassuming little postcard by FH depicts Piccadilly Circus in London. The whole thing is bathed in these delicate, muted washes. I bet it was a real challenge to capture the hustle and bustle using a limited palette of creams and pale blues. I'm really feeling the artist as they are deciding how to place each figure, the angle of the horses pulling carriages, and how to balance the composition. I'm thinking of other painters who've tried to capture city life, like the Impressionists, but FH has a different agenda. It feels more intimate, like a personal snapshot. I'm imagining FH walking through Piccadilly Circus, pausing to capture a fleeting moment of everyday life with a few brushstrokes. It's like they're saying, “Hey, look at this—isn't it beautiful and chaotic at the same time?"