Restaurant de la Sirène à Asnières, 1887
At first glance, we might mistake this airy scene for a painting by Monet or Renoir. The work’s sociable daytime subject, as well as its broken brushwork, plentiful whites, and colorful dappling resonate strongly with the style of these Impressionist artists. Yet, Restaurant de la Sirène at Asnières was actually created in 1887 by Vincent van Gogh. After arriving in Paris the previous year, the Dutchman quickly cast off his earthy tones and peasant themes, and began experimenting with the latest painterly techniques to render the city and its immediate environs.
Asnières, a burgeoning town on the banks of the Seine just northwest of Paris, was easily accessible by train. Despite the recent invasion of a few factories, Asnières’ pastoral charm and proximity to water made it a favorite destination of day-trippers and artists seeking a brief, inexpensive escape from the city. In 1884, just three years before this picture was painted, the artist Georges-Pierre Seurat had made a splash at the Salon des Indépendants exhibition in Paris with his first major Pointillist masterpiece, Bathers at Asnières, which represented several boys and men playing hooky from work, relaxing on the banks of the Seine, and swimming in its cool waters.
While living in Paris, Vincent visited Asnières several times, and produced a number of views of the town’s bridges and popular establishments, such as the Restaurant de la Sirène (Restaurant of the Mermaid). Van Gogh’s portrayal focused on the restaurant’s exterior – its modern signage, awning, crawling vines, second floor railing, and surrounding businesses – rather than the convivial pleasures inside, which the Impressionists typically emphasized in their paintings. During the late 19th century, cafés and restaurants like this one often displayed the work of contemporary artists on their walls. Perhaps the Dutch artist was hoping for a show of his own Asnières pictures at the Restaurant de la Sirène.