Paul Signac (1863-1935) was a French postimpressionist painter who was born in Paris and
became one of the originators of the technique known as pointillism. In 1884, Signac began
associating with French painter Georges Seurat, and through his influence, Signac
abandoned painting with short brushstrokes and started experimenting with
scientifically arranged dots of pure color. His fame led him to meet many different
Paul Signac was born in 1863 and began to paint in 1880. He attended the
Academy of Bing in 1883 and became interested in Monet's style. In 1884 he was a
co-founder of the Independents and became friendly with Seurat. Together they
invented a new painting technique known as pointillism. Pointillism is a late
19th-century method of painting, consisting of depositing small dots or strokes of pure
color on the canvas. Seen from a distance, these "points" blend and give the effect of a
different color and heightened luminosity. The style was a development of
Signac's association with Seurat convinced him to drop the paintbrush with the
short brushstrokes and to pick up pointillism. Seurat influenced Signac to abandon the
short brushstrokes. He urged him to start painting with scientifically juxtaposed dots of
pure color pigment to create a larger overall effect of the work on the consumer. With
Seurat's help and influence, the two went on to create pointillism.
Paul Signac's work was becoming popular among the better artists of the time
and caused him to have many influential acquaintances. In 1887 he went with Seurat
to Brussels and for the first time visited the Mediterranean. In 1888 he exhibited for the
first time with Les XX in Brussels. In 1889 he visited van Gogh at Arles. In 1890 he
made the first visit to Italy and became the first member of Les XX. He visited Holland
in 1896 published his theoretical aims for Neo-Impressionism. In 1908 Signac became
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