Fishing in Spring, the Pont de Clichy (Asnières)

Fishing in Spring, the Pont de Clichy (Asnières) is a key transitional painting executed by Vincent van Gogh in 1887, shortly before his stylistic shift toward Post-Impressionism. Completed in oil on canvas, this work documents the artist’s time spent living in Paris and exploring its industrial suburbs, specifically the area surrounding Asnières. The piece captures the influence of French contemporary art on the Dutch master, reflecting the light, color, and broken brushwork techniques associated with the Impressionism movement.

The painting depicts a view along the river Seine, focusing on the Pont de Clichy, a crucial connection between the Parisian suburbs. The composition balances the rigid, man-made architecture of the bridge with the natural activity of the riverbank, where small figures of fishermen dot the shoreline. Gogh utilizes a high-keyed palette to convey the freshness of the season suggested by the title, applying thick, distinct impasto that gives energy and texture to the water and the budding foliage. Unlike the somber earth tones that characterized his earlier works from the Netherlands, this painting demonstrates a dynamic engagement with optical color mixing and light effects.

This period of stylistic experimentation was vital to Gogh’s development, marking a clear departure from his early European realism and a move toward the intensity that would define his later work in Arles. Fishing in Spring, the Pont de Clichy (Asnières) is classified as a significant example of 19th-century painting and is permanently housed within the distinguished collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Owing to the cultural importance of the artist and the age of the work, high-quality prints and reference materials are often made available through public domain archives, ensuring the widespread study of Gogh's unique contribution to modern art.