Night of the flying hats

In Chicago, the northeast corner of the Monadnock building, at the crossing of Dearborn Street and Jackson Boulevard, is a magical spot. When walking by, the delightful contrast of tiny bricks and incredibly tick walls, and the retro sophisticated elegance of the store window, make you feel part of an ageless rite. You can feel the persistence of all the steps from the past, their passing by, glimpsing, and rushing along.
The feeling is even stronger at night, because the golden light of period-inspired street lamps fades off any trace of time and reality. There and then, looking at the window of Optimo, the magic is completed. The glass captures and blends the lights from the street with the lights inside the store. The glass is at the same time a mirror of the outside and an eye to the inside… it is a miracle: the hats begin to fly.
The painting is smooth and polished, defined more by light and color than brushstrokes. To highlight the golden tone of light, I have used a ground toned in gold, and tiny areas of the toned ground are still visible in the finished painting to enhance further the effect.