Samois Study No. 8

Samois Study No. 8 (1899) belongs to Signac's extended campaign of painting along the Seine at Samois-sur-Seine, a village south of Paris where he moored his sailboat. These Samois studies from around 1899 occupied him during a period when he was sailing extensively and translating maritime experience directly into paint. The systematic variation of a single motif across multiple canvases — 'studies' numbered in sequence — reflects the same methodical discipline that informed his theoretical writing in D'Eugène Delacroix au Néo-Impressionnisme (1899). Wallraf-Richartz Museum.

The study employs Signac's evolving technique of larger, squarish mosaic strokes rather than the fine round dots of strict early divisionism. River reflections and foliage are built from interlocking warm and cool patches. The deliberate serial approach allows direct comparison of chromatic strategies across similar motifs.