London Skyline Seen From Canary Wharf

What the painting shows

The painting shows the London skyline at sunset, seen from around Canary Wharf, the business district in the east of the city. The sky fills most of the canvas: it is cool and silvery grey at the top, then turns into bands of rusty and purple clouds, and above the horizon it glows in intense salmon pink, orange and gold.

Against the setting sun stands the dark purple-grey silhouette of the city: a cluster of towers and buildings with irregular shapes, including a tall pointed spire on the left that resembles The Shard, the tallest building in the United Kingdom. The skyline is slightly hazy, as if veiled by evening smog or mist from the Thames.

The foreground is filled with dense green-blue vegetation, shrubs and grasses, painted with quick vertical strokes. This contrast between wild greenery and the distant city captures the feeling of looking at a metropolis from a park or a riverside path.

Technique and style

A horizontal oil painting on a small canvas, with the canvas weave clearly showing through thin layers of paint. The approach is impressionistic: the buildings are simplified to silhouettes, and the mood comes mainly from the light and colour of the sky. It is an example of a cityscape painted from a photo or from life.

At a glance

• Medium: oil paint
• Surface: canvas
• Orientation: landscape (horizontal)
• Dominant colours: salmon pink, orange, gold, silvery grey, purple, green
• Subjects: London, city skyline, Canary Wharf, The Shard, sunset, cityscape

Fun fact

London has legally protected views of St Paul's Cathedral. The London View Management Framework sets out "viewing corridors" in which tall buildings are not allowed. One of them runs from King Henry's Mound in Richmond Park, about 16 km (10 miles) away, and bans anything that would block the view of the cathedral's dome, even though you need a telescope there to see it clearly.

Want a similar painting?

The Fart studio paints commissioned artwork: portraits of people and pets, landscapes and absurd scenes like this one. You can order a similar piece featuring London, city skyline, Canary Wharf, starring your own pet, a loved one or your favourite place. Just describe your idea in the contact form and attach a photo.