In the painting there are plenty of people around, although they are difficult to make out. Groups merge into the colour and line. The odd individual, suggested by outline shadows, and people are interchangeable. As you decipher what you are looking at, frantic figures scurry along a narrow embankment strip heading home or set about on an adventure evening with friends.

In contrast, the orange walls, lined by columns and 16 flagpoles in regimental order along the lower roof edge, embrace the empty courtyard.  The flagpoles each bear a country flag. We can see colours, but it is hard to tell which country and one wonders, “Why were those particular flags selected?”

If you lose your bearings, look above the main entrance or below the line of flags. Do you see the illuminated letters spelling out ‘County Hall’?  Black cyphers, brightly backlit as beacons in the night.  A curved blue band, studded with circular windows (some lit and others in darkness), draws your attention back to the left so that finally, your eye travels along the roof arch and swathe of terracotta tiles.  The line sweeps around from bottom left to top right and beyond… where more yellow and gold fire burns brightly, beckoning you onward to a building on the right.

Where to now?