Lighthouse, Saint-Tropez (Saint-Tropez, le phare) 1927

Curator: Ah, here we have André Dunoyer de Segonzac’s "Lighthouse, Saint-Tropez," created in 1927. It's a print, showcasing the artist’s deft hand with etching techniques. Editor: My first impression? Windy. Definitely a blustery day at the port. It feels sketched rather than fully formed somehow, more like a memory surfacing. Curator: Indeed. The swirling lines dominating the sky absolutely convey a sense of atmospheric turbulence. Lighthouses, you know, often symbolize guidance, hope, and safety – particularly potent during uncertain times. This was made in the interwar years... Editor: Yet there's a vulnerability, I think. It doesn’t radiate rock-solid security. Maybe that wind reminds us nothing's guaranteed? Makes me wonder if Segonzac meant more by it. There's a certain bareness too, almost an impatience with details, no romanticism here, no longing. Curator: Very perceptive. Consider also the symbolism inherent in harbours—gateways for trade, the comings and goings of people, ideas. These anchor points can shift perspectives between a sense of safety and departures into the unknown. It subtly reminds me that civilization is only possible with some degree of mastery over nature. Editor: Yes, civilization… propped up by this frail-looking stick of stone, defying chaos. It’s a fascinating tension. And the composition - he has put the Lighthouse right at the edge, like he couldn't be bothered! Is he trying to say the safety of human creations always feels provisional, incomplete somehow, despite all the apparent ingenuity. Curator: Segonzac was, of course, deeply rooted in a tradition valuing direct observation. Perhaps his method emphasized capturing an immediacy of sensation over idealized notions about security. Editor: It's more unsettling and intimate that way. This artwork sticks in my mind now. It won't let me rest so easily as simple reassurance. Curator: A very fitting insight to leave our listeners with, indeed. I think we've begun to illuminate how his vision resonates even today, far beyond its literal depiction.