Marseille c. 1920

Paul Signac made this watercolour, Marseille. It's a scene dominated by vertical masts and spars, which create a graphic framework, while the hulls of the boats nestle low and wide in the foreground. See how the blue of the water merges with the blue accents of the ships. The overall effect is one of fluidity, where the boundaries between objects blur, and the scene vibrates with light and atmosphere. Signac was deeply influenced by pointillism, a technique that emphasizes the optical mixing of colour through small, distinct dots. Although this is a watercolour, you can still see the echo of pointillist ideas in the way he applies colour in small, deliberate strokes. This method not only captures the play of light on the water but also aligns with structuralist notions of art as a system of signs. Each stroke acts as a unit, contributing to the larger composition. Notice, too, how the scene seems to be captured in a moment, emphasizing the transient nature of perception and the subjectivity inherent in artistic representation.