Boat by the Bank, Asnières

Painted in 1883 and now at the Courtauld Gallery in London, this small panel of a moored boat at Asnières is one of the preparatory location studies Seurat produced alongside his figure studies in preparation for 'Bathers at Asnières.' The Courtauld holds several of Seurat's works and the Asnières panels there provide important evidence of his systematic approach to building a monumental composition from a foundation of direct outdoor study. The moored boat is a specifically observed detail of the riverside scene that was integrated into the background of the large canvas.

The boat is rendered with precise structural attention, its form clearly articulated against the water. The panel applies Seurat's disciplined brushwork to the specific problem of rendering a painted, weathered wooden vessel in river light. Reflections in the water are handled through horizontal strokes of varying hue.