Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde (La Bonne-Mère), Marseilles

My name is Feely T. Heart, and I will be your guide today through one of our paintings: nn Before you stands Paul Signac's vibrant masterpiece, "Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde (La Bonne-Mère), Marseilles," a captivating scene painted between 1905 and 1906. The painting, currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, immediately draws your eye to the bustling port, teeming with colorful boats bobbing gently on the water. Signac masterfully captures the movement of the sea through his signature technique – pointillism. Notice how the water seems to shimmer with life, composed of countless dots of blue, purple, white, and yellow. nn Look closely, and you'll see that Signac uses this same technique throughout the painting, applying small, distinct dots of color to depict everything from the boats to the sky. This technique, rather than blending colors on the canvas, allows our eyes to optically mix the colors, creating a sense of vibrancy and luminosity. The church of Notre-Dame de la Garde, perched majestically atop a hill in the background, anchors the composition, while the vibrant hues of the sky – painted in a symphony of pinks, yellows, and blues – add a sense of tranquility to the scene. nn "Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde" is not just a beautiful painting; it's a testament to Signac's innovative approach to art. As a leading figure in the Neo-Impressionist movement, he sought to capture the fleeting effects of light and color, and this painting stands as a shining example of his artistic vision.