Saint-Gilles Croix-De-Vie 1925

Paul Signac made this watercolor, Saint-Gilles Croix-De-Vie, with loose washes of color that bleed into each other, creating a dreamy, atmospheric effect. It feels like he’s chasing the light. Look at the way Signac builds up the image with these transparent layers. The pinks, blues, and greens aren't just colors; they're like feelings, capturing the mood of a breezy day by the sea. Notice how he uses quick, gestural strokes to suggest the movement of water and the shapes of boats, without getting too bogged down in details. There’s this great zigzag of brushstrokes in the lower right, it feels like a formal echo of the masts of the boats, like the whole image is tied together in a network of marks. Signac, along with Seurat, was one of the key figures in the development of pointillism, although here, it feels like he’s letting loose a bit. You can sense the influence of Impressionism, especially Monet, but with Signac's own distinctive touch. It's a reminder that art is always evolving, with artists building on the ideas of those who came before them.