Centre of a city has a monumental presence: the impressive architectural forms rising up to a luminous blue sky. The painting was preceded by numerous sketchbook drawings. In 1971 the artist told Daniel Thomas: ‘I suddenly liked the subject – the Centre of the City! I liked the going downhill of Moore Street, the feeling that the Post Office at the bottom was the centre of the city … I would stand with this [sketch] book. I was just aware that people would look over my shoulder … they never said anything – that was nice’.