Cibeles Palace, Madrid

This painting shows the Cibeles Palace, one of Madrid's most recognisable buildings, with the Cibeles fountain at its foot. I built the palace out of warm whites, creams and soft yellows, so the façade seems lit from within, with cool blue and turquoise windows. The sky takes up almost half the canvas: deep blues, violets and lilacs turn in large spirals, touched with orange and red. Against it, the Spanish flags stand out sharply, and green trees frame the building. The whole work is done with a palette knife. The paint is thick, and the relief of each stroke is clearly visible, especially in the clouds and the fountain's spray. Oil on canvas. Signed. Varnished.