City with viaduct 1930

Louis Marcoussis’s ‘City with Viaduct’ is a painting done in oil, but I’m not exactly sure when. The slightly muted tones give it a kind of wistful air. Marcoussis builds a world where colors whisper rather than shout, don't you think? I find myself drawn to the materiality of the surface, where the brushstrokes are clearly visible, hinting at the artist’s hand and the decisions made in each moment. Notice the way the paint is applied in short, deliberate strokes, especially in the stonework and the foliage. The texture invites a closer look, like trying to read the thoughts behind each mark. Then, there’s that steam coming from the bakery—a puff of white against the gray-blues and greens, it’s like a visual exhale, a moment of warmth in a cool scene. It's something that evokes similar sentiments in a Morandi still life, a quiet study of form and tone and a celebration of the everyday.