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View of the Seine at Herblay
Paul Signac (French, 1863–1935)
1889
Medium/Technique
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
33.3 x 46.4 cm (13 1/8 x 18 1/4 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Charles Sumner Bird (Julia Appleton Bird)
Accession Number1980.367
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsEurope
ClassificationsPaintings
Signac’s variety of brushstrokes—dots, dabs, and dashes—suggest different textures and visually energize this composition. The pale grey of the primed canvas is evident between strokes, especially in the water and sky, creating a silvery mid-tone and a sense of the work being rapidly made. Drawn lines at the water’s edge and crest of the hill, as well as the thoughtful use of colors opposite each other on the color wheel (like orange and blue in the reflection of the foliage), reveal the artist’s careful planning. In the lower left corner, Signac inscribed this painting with “Opus 203”—a system of numbering that aligned his painting practice with musical composition. Signac saw an evocative analogy between his harmonious application of divided color and musical notes within a score
InscriptionsLower left: Op 203. Lower right: P. Signac
ProvenanceBy 1903, given by the artist to Edmond Cousturier (b. 1861 - d. 1943) and Lucie Cousturier (b. 1870 - d. 1925), Paris [see note 1]. 1953, authenticated by Jean Metthey (dealer), Paris [see note 2]. Hugo Moser, New York. 1960, Hammer Galleries, New York (stock no. 18063-1); March 18, 1960, sold by Hammer Galleries to Julia Appleton (Mrs. Charles Sumner) Bird (b. 1894 - d. 1983), East Walpole, MA; 1980, gift of Mrs. Charles Sumner Bird to the MFA. (Accession Date: October 15, 1980)
NOTES:
[1] This painting can be seen in photographs of the Cousturier home, and is pictured in the background of Maximilien Luce's 1903 portrait of Mme. Cousturier.
[2] According to information provided by Hammer Galleries in 1960, the painting was at one time accompanied by a certificate from Metthey. At least one other painting from the Cousturiers' collection, and at least one work by Lucie Cousturier herself, passed through the hands of Jean Metthey at around this time.
NOTES:
[1] This painting can be seen in photographs of the Cousturier home, and is pictured in the background of Maximilien Luce's 1903 portrait of Mme. Cousturier.
[2] According to information provided by Hammer Galleries in 1960, the painting was at one time accompanied by a certificate from Metthey. At least one other painting from the Cousturiers' collection, and at least one work by Lucie Cousturier herself, passed through the hands of Jean Metthey at around this time.