Ice Cream Parlour stands as a charming example of Richard Estes' recent return to his celebrated subject of New York City storefronts. In the late 1960s, Estes focused almost exclusively on reflective surfaces, with storefronts becoming a favored motif. Storefronts held a special significance for the artist due to their reflective windows, which offered complex compositions of interior views and exterior urban architecture that enabled him to explore and problem-solve. Directly informed by Estes' photography practice, Ice Cream Parlour is representative of his "slant/reflections" paintings. This term derives from Estes' technique of positioning his camera at an angle from his subject, capturing the myriad reflections in the windows of a storefront. [1] The painting's dynamic composition captivates viewers with its labyrinthine angles and viewpoints. Although Estes experimented with varied angles and distances from the storefronts, this distinctive approach to depicting the urban landscape remains a hallmark of his career and is quintessentially Estes.

[1] Louis K. Meisel and John Perreault, Richard Estes: The Complete Paintings 1966-1985, New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1986, p. 57