Paris, Ponton des Bains Bailet

Paul Signac painted the view of a bathing pontoon along the Seine in 1885. The scene captures Parisian leisure along the river, with boats and bathers enjoying the water. Signac was absorbing Impressionist influences while beginning to move toward Neo-Impressionism.

The following year, Signac would meet Georges Seurat and help develop Pointillism. This painting shows him at a transitional moment, interested in urban waterways and light effects but not yet applying the systematic color theory that would define his mature work. Paris offered many such bathing establishments along the Seine, temporary structures that allowed city dwellers to swim. The oil on canvas measures 59 x 91 cm and belongs to a private collection. The subject connects to Seurat's famous Bathers at Asnières.