Les Andelys, Côte d'Aval

This view of the harbor of Les Andelys, a village on the Seine River near Giverny, France, is part of Paul Signac’s first series of works painted in dots and dashes of contrasting colors. The technique, called pointillism, was originated by Signac’s friend Georges Seurat. Signac would prove to be the most ardent proponent of this style, which he made his own through particular attention to geometric form. Here, for example, a triangular patch of blue creates a curve in the river, while an expanse of trapezoids in the background defines the cultivated hill.