Lighthouse
Paul Signac
French, 1863–1935
c. 1896
A small watercolor and charcoal study in which Paul Signac captures a solitary lighthouse and the radiance of its beam, experimenting with color and atmosphere rather than precise detail.
You first notice a wash of Mediterranean blues pierced by a blazing orange starburst atop a dark vertical tower, the loose charcoal stroke grounding a dreamlike seascape where a ghostly ship and a swirled moon hover in the watery distance.
Made around 1896, this intimate sketch shows Signac moving beyond strict pointillism into freer, expressive watercolors that tested how color and light could be distilled in quick studies and helped broaden modern approaches to depicting atmosphere and sensation.
Medium
Watercolor and charcoal on paper
Dimensions
5 3/8 x 6 1/2" (13.6 x 16.5 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Acquired through the Lillie P. Bliss Bequest (by exchange)
Accession
26.1951
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
