Les Andelys 1923

Paul Signac made this watercolor painting, Les Andelys, with delicate strokes and a real sense of spontaneity. The way he layers these pastel colors makes me think about how we see and experience the world. The surface is so lively! It's like he's not just painting a landscape, but also how light and color bounce around and shape what we see. Notice the blues and yellows playing against each other, creating depth, but also a kind of visual vibration. Then there's the sketchy quality of the lines, which are so playful. I am drawn to the way he suggests the water at the bottom of the frame using loosely drawn vertical lines. It reminds me of Cy Twombly's playful approach to mark making. Signac's painting feels like a conversation, a dialogue with Impressionism, maybe, but also a step towards something new and personal. It's a reminder that art is always evolving, always in flux.