The Alleys, Cannes de Paul Signac

This original and bold composition beautifully bears witness to Paul Signac’s constant research on framing and flat decoration. In this magnificent and colorful work entitled “The Alleys, Cannes”, the artist skillfully uses majestic trees to create a true arch of foliage opening onto a luminous maritime landscape. This is a brilliant demonstration of how pure color can structure space without resorting to traditional drawing.

Two large trees with sinuous, yellow trunks stand on each side, their branches meeting at the top to form a natural frame. The autumn foliage, treated in multiple touches of red, orange, yellow and green, blazes under the light of day. Through this opening, one discovers a light sandy beach and a calm body of water dotted with small sailboats with colorful sails. The diffuse light of the background, in soft yellow, pink and pale purple hues, bathes the entire scene in a magical softness. The complementary colors balance each other with an almost mathematical precision to create a decorative masterpiece.

The artist’s artisanal virtuosity lies in the rigorous application of complementary color contrast to create depth. His technique of the divided touch is here pushed to a high degree of decorative perfection. This mastery of the pictorial material gives the canvas a visual presence of extraordinary power.