Saint-Tropez 1895

Paul Signac created this watercolor, Saint-Tropez, during a time of great social change in France, where artists began to look outside traditional academic settings for inspiration. Signac, influenced by his friend Georges Seurat, was part of the neo-impressionist movement, and experimented with pointillism and divisionism in his works. Here, the vibrant blues and yellows capture the Mediterranean light, yet the composition, with its sketch-like quality, suggests a fleeting moment rather than a detailed depiction. There’s a sense of immediacy. Signac was part of a generation that turned away from traditional subject matter. Instead they focused on the sensory experience of the modern world, reflecting the shifting identities and values of the time. Signac once said that art should be “harmonious” but also “expressive.” This piece captures the emotional and intellectual currents of its time, mirroring the quest for new forms of expression and new ways of seeing.