Painting The Night Lights of Paris, artist Volodymyr Kolesnyk

Title: “The Night Lights of Paris”
Year: 2023
Dimensions: 60 × 80 cm
Materials: oil on canvas, stretched on a wooden frame
Technique: oil painting
Original hand-painted artwork

“The Night Lights of Paris” — an atmospheric cityscape capturing the calm mood of the French capital in soft evening light. At the center of the composition are the waters of the Seine, stone arch bridges, a green island, and the historic architecture of Paris. Rather than focusing on precise architectural detail, the artist conveys an overall impression of the city, its light, and its distinctive sense of space.

The composition is built around the river, which creates depth and connects the different planes of the landscape. The arches of the bridges establish a measured rhythm, while the dark greenery of the island forms an expressive accent against the illuminated buildings. Moored boats along the right bank add the characteristic atmosphere of a Parisian riverside.

The color palette combines warm ochre, terracotta, and golden-pink shades with cooler blue-gray and greenish tones of the water. The evening sky is rendered softly and with minimal detail. Warm reflections of the city appear across the surface of the Seine in loose brushstrokes, creating a subtle sense of movement in the water.

The painting is executed in a free, expressive manner, with the texture of the oil paint clearly visible. Architectural forms remain recognizable without excessive detailing. This approach brings the work close to the tradition of the Impressionist cityscape, where light, color, and the immediate impression of a particular moment take precedence over photographic precision.

“Evening in Paris” conveys the romantic atmosphere of the city with restraint and without excessive theatricality. Its 60 × 80 cm format and calm, warm palette make the painting a suitable accent for a living room, bedroom, study, or contemporary public space.