Ciboure 1929

Paul Signac made this watercolour drawing of Ciboure, using bright, almost cartoonish blocks of colour and sketchy lines. It’s like he’s figured out how to paint light, but with a sense of fun. I love how Signac isn’t trying to hide the process. You can see every stroke, every decision. The paper isn’t even completely covered, which gives the whole thing an airy, immediate feel. Look at the reflections in the water – vertical dashes of pure colour that vibrate against each other. It’s not about realism, but about capturing the essence of the place. Each mark feels playful and deliberate, like he’s improvising a melody with colour. Signac reminds me a bit of Dufy, both capturing the joy of seeing. But while Dufy could be almost decorative, Signac feels more structural, more interested in how colour builds form. He shows us that a painting can be both a record of a place and a record of the artist's joyful encounter with it.