Lezardieux 

Paul Signac’s watercolor, Lezardieux, captures a church amidst lush foliage and the solemn markers of a graveyard. The church, with its soaring spire, is a beacon, its presence speaking to a reaching toward the divine. The cross, repeated in the graveyard, is a timeless symbol that predates Christianity. In its most elemental form, it appears as a solar cross, symbolizing the cycle of life and the cosmos. This symbol evolved, becoming a potent signifier of sacrifice and redemption. In churches across Europe, one sees a reaching to the heavens; this is a primal yearning to connect with forces beyond our mortal existence. Such architectural and symbolic gestures are not merely artistic choices; they tap into our collective memory. Here, one feels a profound sense of continuity—an echoing of ancient hopes and fears.