Richard Estes American, b. 1932

Richard Estes' Walgreens demonstrates his innovative approach to photorealist painting through his signature "slant/reflections" technique. By positioning his viewpoint at an angle to the storefront, Estes creates a visual puzzle where the transparent glass reveals the store's interior while simultaneously reflecting the street scene outside. This compositional strategy transforms a mundane drugstore facade into a meditation on urban perception and reality. Though deeply informed by photography, Estes transcends mere mechanical reproduction. He uses photographs as preliminary sketches, allowing him to construct intricate visuals that exceed what a single photograph could capture. Walgreens epitomizes how Estes elevates everyday urban scenes into complex statements about perception, reality, and representation, making him not simply a photorealist but a keen observer and interpreter of modern urban life.