Henri-Edmond Cross: The Iles d’Or

Although the subject of the canvas are the Islands of Hyères (The Golden Islands), Henri-Edmond Cross has eliminated all picturesque elements and concentrated on the effects of light on colour. The various elements in the landscape become three large coloured bands: the sand, sea and sky. In keeping with the Neo-impressionist technique that he had recently begun to apply, he used rounded brushstrokes of various sizes from the dabs in the foreground to the tiny dots on the horizon, adjusting the spacing to create a slight effect of perspective. The very high horizon line running across the composition is a direct reference to the Japanese art of Ukiyo-e prints. This artwork is located in the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, France.