DAF 55 at Golden Hour in Tuscany

by Jan Keteleer

When I first set this cream-colored DAF 55 on the canvas, I wasn't painting a car so much as a memory. It rests on a dusty dirt road at the center of the scene, angled slightly toward you, as if it has just paused to take in the view. I built the bodywork with thick impasto strokes, letting the golden-hour light pool on its hood and roof in ochre, amber, and soft cream.

Shadows mattered just as much as light. Beneath the car, I swept the road with deep lavender and violet, so the warmth of the sun could glow even brighter against them. To the right, a rustic stone wall holds the edge of the path, while tall cypress trees rise like quiet guardians on the left. Beyond them, the rolling Tuscan hills fade into a blue and purple haze.

The sky moves from violet-blue at the top to a glowing yellow near the horizon, the last breath of an autumn day.

For me, this painting is about slowing down. It recalls an era of mid-century European road trips, when the journey itself was the destination. I hope it invites you to pause, remember your own roads, and share that gentle nostalgia with me.