Paul Signac dedicated himself to achieving the highest degree of radiance and harmony—a goal that, in the mid-1880s, led him and Georges Seurat to introduce a groundbreaking new style of painting to the art world. By applying pure colors in short brushstrokes and dots, they built upon the legacy of the Impressionists. Signac’s interest in Symbolist literature, music, and architecture reflected his vision of artistic synergy across disciplines.

The exhibition traces Signac’s artistic journey—from the early river landscapes, inspired by his love of sailing, to intimate interior scenes and portraits, and finally to socially utopian visions of the Côte d’Azur, which he discovered as a wellspring of motifs for modern art. It explored his pivotal role in the Neo-Impressionist movement, not only as an artist but also as a theorist, collector, and patron. The show also highlights his efforts as a networker—organizing exhibitions, mentoring younger artists, and expanding Neo-Impressionism beyond France to Belgium and Germany.

Around thirty works by Signac are presented in dialogue with paintings by Lucie Cousturier, Henri-Edmond Cross, Curt Herrmann, Maximilien Luce, Camille Pissarro, Théo van Rysselberghe, Jeanne Selmersheim-Desgrange, Georges Seurat, Jan Toorop, and others. The exhibition features loans from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Art Institute of Chicago, the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin, the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, the Musée du Petit Palais in Geneva, the Archives Signac in Paris, and other national and international collections.

The symposium is held in preparation for the exhibition that will be on view from July 4, to October 11, 2026 at the Museum Barberini and from October 24, 2026, to February 28, 2027 at the Kunsthal Rotterdam.

10:00
Welcome
Ortrud Westheider, Museum Barberini
Marianne Splint, Kunsthal Rotterdam

10:15
An Artist’s Artist: Paul Signac’s Reception in the Twentieth Century
Marina Ferretti Bocquillon, Former Academic Director, Musée des impressionnismes Giverny

11:15
The Grand Utopia. Paul Signac and Anarchism
Richard Thomson, University of Edinburgh

12:15
Lunch break

14:00
The Luminosity of Unmixed Color: Paul Signac and the Early Years of Neo-Impressionism
Jean-Rémi Touzet, Musée d’Orsay, Paris

15:00
Paul Signac and Harry Graf Kessler: A European Friendship in the Service of Art
Charlotte Hellman Cachin, Archives Signac, Paris

16:00
Coffee break

16:30
Ornament and Boredom: Signac’s Interiors
Nerina Santorius, Museum Barberini

17:30
Reception

With the exception of Nerina Santorius' contribution, all lectures will be held in English.