The Roofs of Paris in the Snow - Auguste Herbin

A winter cityscape by Auguste Herbin, rendered in the Neo-Impressionist style with a focus on light and atmospheric texture.

This work captures a winter view across the Parisian skyline, rendered through the methodical application of small, distinct dots of colour. Auguste Herbin, before his transition into geometric abstraction, experimented with the techniques of Neo-Impressionism. The composition focuses on the verticality of chimney stacks and the sloping planes of rooftops, all blanketed by a heavy, atmospheric snowfall.

The artist employs a palette dominated by cool tones, including slate blues, muted greens, and stark whites, to convey the chill of the season. By placing these colours side by side, Herbin allows the viewer's eye to blend the pigments, creating a shimmering effect that mimics the diffusion of light through falling snow. The foreground features the dark, skeletal branches of trees, which provide a sharp contrast to the soft, blurred forms of the buildings in the distance.

This piece reflects the influence of Georges Seurat and Paul Signac, who championed the scientific approach to colour theory. Herbin uses this method to organise the urban environment into a series of rhythmic, textured surfaces. The lack of hard outlines forces the viewer to perceive the scene as a collection of light and shadow rather than solid objects. The result is a quiet, meditative study of a city in winter, where the architecture becomes secondary to the atmospheric conditions. This print preserves the texture of the original brushwork, allowing for a close examination of the pointillist technique. It is a representative example of Herbin's early career, showing his technical precision before he moved toward the bold, non-representational forms for which he is later known.