Pleasure Boats, Argenteuil, c.1872-3 (oil on canvas) 1873

Claude Monet created "Pleasure Boats, Argenteuil" around 1872-3, using oil on canvas. The composition is immediately striking; verticals of masts sharply contrast with the horizontal water. These structural components create a visual tension, destabilizing a traditional landscape. Monet breaks down the scene into a series of signs. Light and color aren't just descriptive but become the subject, reflecting structuralist ideas about how signs create meaning. The visible brushstrokes reject academic painting, as if materiality takes precedence over illusion. Semiotically, each dab of paint is a signifier, contributing to an overall signified—a fleeting moment in time. Note how Monet challenges fixed meanings, questioning our perception of space and representation. This piece is more than just boats on water; it’s a formal experiment, engaging with broader philosophical concerns about art's capacity to represent reality. The painting remains a vibrant site for ongoing interpretation.