Rotterdam - The Steams

Signac, who supported the neo-impressionist movement alongside Georges Seurat, particularly favored scenery such as the sea and waterfronts in his paintings. This is a work that Signac painted during his second trip to the Netherlands since 1896, and depicts a view of the Port of Rotterdam, into which the Maas flows. Vibrant colors and points with large drops cover the entire canvas equally, similar to a mosaic, indicating a style typical of Signac’s late period. Seen from up close it is merely an accumulation of small planes of color, but as you move away gradually, the colors meld together and each motif becomes visible. Through this use of pointillism, which does not define contours, the work incorporates light and brilliantly expresses constantly shifting forms, such as the reflection of water, ripples, the steam emitted from ships, and the smoke rising from the chimneys of factories seen in the distant background.