Paris, Le Pont Des Arts c. 1933

Paul Signac made this drawing of the Pont des Arts in Paris, likely en plein air, with watercolor and ink. It’s all about capturing a moment, a fleeting impression of light on water, and the architectural bones of the city. The quick, scratchy lines feel so immediate, don't they? Signac isn’t trying to give us every detail, but just enough to suggest the scene, the bridge, the fisherman, the buildings in the distance. It feels like he’s thinking through the process, each stroke a little experiment. And the colors! Washes of blues and grays, giving the whole piece a cool, watery feel. The textures are so lovely, the rough paper coming through the thin paint. It makes me think of other artists who were interested in the everyday, like Berthe Morisot. There’s a similar interest in capturing a sense of light and atmosphere, a moment in time, and an acceptance of ambiguity over rigid, formal meaning.