Port-Louis c. 1922

Paul Signac made this watercolour, Port-Louis, with pencil on paper. What grabs me about this piece is the sheer joy of mark-making; these short, sharp lines create a shimmering effect across the whole piece, so the movement of the water feels real. There's a beautiful tension between the linear quality of the pencil and the fluidity of the watercolour. In the bottom left of the piece, you can see how the green and red marks bleed and blend into each other, evoking the feeling of sunlight dancing on the water. Then, notice how Signac uses these almost scribbled marks to create the impression of depth and distance, especially in the buildings across the water. It feels effortless, but look closer and you see the precision of his observation and the skill in his rendering. Signac’s work reminds me a little of Boudin, who painted a lot of beach scenes, as they both had an interest in capturing the effects of light and atmosphere on the water. But where Boudin might be more about capturing a fleeting moment, Signac’s work, like all great art, feels open, full of possibility, like a conversation that’s just beginning.