The Boats
Paul Signac
French, 1863–1935
1895
A lithograph in which Signac uses small, discrete dabs of color to render sailing ships and a shimmering sea, aiming to capture shifting light and atmosphere rather than photographic detail.
You first notice a pale golden haze pierced by soft blue silhouettes of tall ships, while the water is built from rhythmic, mosaic-like dashes that make the scene seem to flicker and glow.
By translating his pointillist color theory into print, Signac helped make Neo‑Impressionist ideas portable and visible, demonstrating how optical color mixing could convey light, motion, and modern seafaring life.
Medium
Lithograph
Dimensions
composition: 9 3/8 x 15 3/4" (23.8 x 40 cm); sheet: 16 x 20 7/8" (40.7 x 53.1 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Gift of Victor S. Riesenfeld
Accession
365.1948
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
