Near the Rocks of Per Kiridec 1889

Theo van Rysselberghe created this oil on canvas painting, Near the Rocks of Per Kiridec, using the Pointillist technique. This style, with its systematic application of tiny dots of pure colour, emerged from broader currents of scientific positivism in late 19th-century France. The Belgian artist, Rysselberghe, captures a coastal scene, likely painted en plein air, typical of the Impressionists. The choppy waters, rendered through blue and white dots, indicate a blustery day. However, Pointillism moved beyond Impressionism’s fleeting impressions, aiming for a more analytical and optical approach to colour mixing. This was a time when artists sought to create a new visual language, often critiquing the established academic art world. They were questioning the role of the art institution itself, experimenting with alternative modes of display and distribution. Research into the writings of critics from this time, plus exhibition reviews, will give us a better understanding of the painting. In this way we can appreciate the social and institutional context that shaped the art.