Georges-Henri Carré was closely involved in the circles that spearheaded the renewal of the visual arts in Paris in the early twentieth century. Although he was not a member of any specific movement, he played a significant role in the art scene of his time. In the final two decades of his life he was a regular participant at the and the , and was in direct contact with major avant-garde artists and received high praise from prestigious art critics, including the Symbolist poet, theorist and critic Gustave Khan.

The work in hand shows Carré’s penchant for chronicling Paris by night, a facet further accentuated in the late 1920s. He loved to wander around the city and depict night-time scenes, mainly in its streets and squares. Made around 1928, the same year as a similar watercolour which may have been a study for this work, this painting represents Place de la Concorde and comes from a time when he was highly active, with Carré taking part in group exhibitions alongside major painters of the time, including Paul Signac (1863-1935) and André Lhote (1885-1962).

Carré was captivated by the artistic promise of the atmosphere, and this work is a clear example of his fascination for the study of light and for the search for the most appropriate techniques to render that emotion. He used the palette knife to apply thick layers of paint, previously mixed on the palette with great gestural aplomb. His interest in capturing the essence of things led the artist to simplify the blotches of colour in some areas to the point of losing almost all detail. The result is an intimate and at once expressive painting that ought to be seen as a synthesis of Carré’s art.