Artwork
The Pont Neuf, Paris
The Pont Neuf, Paris is an oil painting by the Fauvist artist Albert Marquet. It dates from 1935 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting emphasizes the bridge’s integration into the city’s rhythm, capturing its status as a connective tissue between urban life and the river.
Marquet’s depiction centers on the Pont Neuf, Paris’s oldest standing bridge, rendered as a sturdy stone structure spanning the Seine. The composition includes characteristic urban elements, cars, streetlamps, and surrounding buildings, evoking the bridge’s role as a functional thoroughfare rather than a monumental landmark. Trees along the quays introduce organic contrast to the built environment, while the muted palette underscores the everyday character of the scene.
The painting emphasizes the bridge’s integration into the city’s rhythm, capturing its status as a connective tissue between urban life and the river.
Technique & Style
Albert Marquet executed The Pont Neuf, Paris (1935) in oil paint on canvas. The work measures 88.9 cm × 116.2 cm and is painted in a restrained, tonal manner that emphasizes the architectural solidity of the bridge while rendering the surrounding urban scene with soft, diffused light. The treatment foregrounds the Seine’s flow and the city’s structural details within a subdued, atmospheric overall effect characteristic of Marquet’s mature urban views.
History & Provenance
The Pont Neuf, Paris is an oil painting on canvas created by Albert Marquet in 1935. The work depicts the historic bridge over the Seine, featuring elements such as cars, trees, streetlights, and surrounding buildings. Currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the piece measures 88.9 cm in height and 116.2 cm in width.
While the specific commission details and the full chain of ownership prior to its arrival at the museum are not detailed in the available records, the creation date is firmly established as 1935. The painting remains a significant example of Marquet's urban landscape work from the mid-1930s.
The painting is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it is recorded with an inventory number of 55.130.1. The work was accessioned by the museum in 1955. No detailed exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
Overview
This oil painting, titled The Pont Neuf, Paris, depicts a tranquil urban scene. The composition centers on a prominent bridge spanning a wide river, bordered by architectural structures and a park. The artist employs a subdued palette to evoke a specific atmospheric quality, capturing a moment of quiet contemplation within the bustling city.
Artist & collection
Artist
Albert Marquet (French pronunciation:; 27 March 1875 – 14 June 1947) was a French painter.
