Saint-Briac. La Pomelière 1885

Paul Signac’s oil on canvas painting presents us with a panoramic vista of Saint-Briac. The interplay of land and sea is rendered through a mosaic of small, distinct brushstrokes, creating a vibrant surface. This pointillist technique allows light to play across the scene, evoking a shimmering, almost tactile quality. Signac's divisionist approach – separating color into individual dots that optically mix in the viewer's eye – serves to decompose the traditional landscape. The color palette, dominated by blues and yellows, creates a sense of harmony. We see the horizon line, not as a fixed boundary, but as a fluid, atmospheric band where the sky meets the sea. The seemingly objective representation is structured through a careful arrangement of color and form, challenging our perception of reality. It prompts us to question the very nature of representation. What are the ways in which we construct meaning through visual signs and codes?