Paul Signac
Signac owned thirty-two boats during his lifetime. He named the first one Manet Zola Wagner and the second Olympia, after Manet's painting. His sailing shaped his art: seascapes and harbour scenes are the bulk of his work.
Biography
He was born in Paris in 1863[7]. His parents wanted him to study architecture. He preferred to draw the Seine. He met Seurat in 1884[7], and Seurat's systematic colour theory converted him from Impressionist brushstrokes to the measured dots of Divisionism. After Seurat's death in 1891, at thirty-one, Signac became the de facto leader and chief theorist of Neo-Impressionism. He published D'Eugene Delacroix au Neo-Impressionnisme in 1899, the theoretical treatise that codified the movement's principles.
He was a committed anarchist, friends with Kropotkin, Jean Grave, and fellow anarchist painters Felix Feneon, Maximilien Luce, and Pissarro. His 1893[7] painting was originally titled In the Time of Anarchy. Political crackdowns forced him to rename it In the Time of Harmony before any gallery would show it. He died in 1935[7].
Timeline
- 1863Born in Paris to a prosperous family. His parents hoped he would become an architect, but he was already drawn to sketching the boats and bridges along the Seine.
- 1880At 17, attended Claude Monet's first solo exhibition in Paris and was immediately inspired to become a painter. He began teaching himself, working directly from nature in the Impressionist manner.
- 1884At 21, co-founded the Societe des Artistes Independants in Paris and met Georges Seurat, whose systematic colour theory captivated him. He became Seurat's most committed follower.
- 1887At 24, painted regularly alongside Vincent van Gogh at Asnieres-sur-Seine, near Paris. Their friendship influenced van Gogh's palette and brushwork during a formative period.
- 1892At 29, discovered Saint-Tropez while sailing the Mediterranean coast and made it his base. The small fishing village, then virtually unknown to artists, became a lifelong source of subjects.
- 1899At 36, published From Eugene Delacroix to Neo-Impressionism in Paris, the definitive theoretical text on colour division and the Neo-Impressionist method. It codified Seurat's ideas for a new generation.
- 1908At 45, was elected president of the Societe des Artistes Independants in Paris, a position he held for the rest of his life. He championed younger artists including Henri Matisse and the Fauves.
- 1935Died at 71 in Paris from sepsis. His body was cremated and interred at Pere Lachaise Cemetery, alongside many of the French cultural figures he had admired.
Notable Works
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Where to See Paul Signac
18 museums worldwide.
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40 works
National Gallery of Art
Washington D.C., United States
Mon–Sat 10:00–17:00, Sun 11:00–18:00 · Free
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16 worksMusée d'Orsay
Paris, France
Tue–Sun 09:30–18:00 (Thu until 21:45); closed Mon · €16 adults
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9 works
Metropolitan Museum of Art
New York City, United States
Sun–Tue, Thu 10:00–17:00; Fri–Sat 10:00–21:00; closed Wed · Adults $30, students $17 (pay-what-you-wish for NY residents)
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8 works
Annonciade Museum
Saint-Tropez, France
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See all Paul Signac prints →Frequently Asked Questions
Paul signac art movement?
Paul Signac's early art was largely self-taught, deriving from his study of Impressionism. He met Seurat in 1884[7], and in 1886, he began to paint.Was paul signac an impressionist?
Paul Signac admired academic professionalism, but he had not attended the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. The Impressionists were role models for him, and he had spent little time with them.When did paul signac die?
Paul Signac died in 1935[7] at the age of 72.Where did paul signac live?
Paul Signac was born in Paris and spent his childhood in the district of the Boulevard de Clichy.Who inspired paul signac?
Paul Signac admired academic professionalism, but he had not attended the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. The Impressionists were role models for him.Who is paul signac?
Paul Signac was born in Paris on November 11, 1863[7], and he spent his childhood in the district of the Boulevard de Clichy. He began as a literary critic and writer, but at eighteen, he devoted himself to painting.Paul signac famous paintings?
Two paintings by Paul Signac are The Port of Saint-Tropez and Two Milliners, Rue du Caire.Who was paul signac?
Paul Signac was born in Paris on November 11, 1863[7], and he spent his childhood in the district of the Boulevard de Clichy. He began as a literary critic and writer, but at eighteen, he devoted himself to painting.How many paintings did paul signac pens?
Paul Signac was a wealthy man with no financial cares, and he painted incessantly. He was personally committed to the advancement of contemporary avant-garde art.How old was paul signac when he died?
Paul Signac died in 1935[7] at the age of 72.Paul signac facts?
Paul Signac was brought up in the Paris area and lived there until 1892[7], when he moved his base to Saint-Tropez on the Mediterranean. He met Seurat in 1884, the Pissarros in 1885, and Van Gogh in winter 1886-7.
Sources
Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Paul Signac.
- [1] museum Brooklyn Museum Used for: museum holdings.
- [2] museum Toledo Museum of Art Used for: museum holdings.
- [3] museum Museum Barberini Used for: museum holdings.
- [4] museum Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts Used for: museum holdings.
- [5] museum National Gallery Prague Used for: museum holdings.
- [6] museum Musée Cantini Used for: museum holdings.
- [7] wikipedia Wikipedia: Paul Signac Used for: biography, birth dates, death dates, identifiers, movement attribution, nationality.
- [8] book Brodskaïa, Nathalia; , Impressionism and Post-Impressionism Used for: biography, museum holdings, stylistic analysis.
- [9] book Brodskaïa, Nathalia, Impressionism and Post-Impressionism (Essential) Used for: biography, museum holdings, stylistic analysis.
- [10] book Masterpieces of western art : a history of art in 900 individual studies from the Gothic to the present day Used for: biography, stylistic analysis.
- [11] book Post-impressionism : cross-currents in European painting Used for: biography, stylistic analysis.
- [12] book Post-impressionism : cross-currents in European painting Used for: biography, stylistic analysis.
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