The artwork entitled “Windows” is an oil on canvas painted by Charles Sheeler in 1952. As a representation of the Precisionism movement, it measures 32 x 20 1/4 inches (81.3 x 51.4 cm). This cityscape genre painting is part of the collection at Hirschl and Adler Galleries in New York.
In “Windows,” Sheeler’s meticulous attention to form and structure is apparent. The artwork depicts an array of high-rise buildings set against a light sky, rendered with clean geometric lines that evoke the modern industrial landscape. The predominantly cool color palette of blues, purples, and grays creates a harmonious yet subdued atmosphere, while the emphasis on vertical and horizontal lines enhances the sense of stability and order characteristic of the Precisionist style. Through the precise depiction of the buildings’ windows, some reflecting light and others appearing dark and empty, Sheeler plays with patterns of light and shadow, imbuing the artwork with a quiet rhythm and an almost abstract quality. The absence of human figures and the focus on the architectural elements underscore the themes of modernity and urbanization, a central preoccupation of the Precisionist movement.
