Sky over Fontanka

A vast sky of piled cumulus clouds occupies the upper two-thirds of the composition, breaking to show patches of pale blue. Below, the dark silhouettes of embankment buildings with peaked gables line a river, a small footbridge crossing at the far left. A handful of windows glow blue and orange within the shadowed facades, and a stone parapet borders the water in the foreground.

Thick, textured impasto strokes of cream, grey, and pink build the clouds, while the buildings are laid in flat, near-black silhouette for strong contrast. The interplay of the luminous, heavily worked sky against the simplified dark cityscape gives the small panel a dramatic, weighted atmosphere.