During an inventory valuation, Fiona Seidler, Head of our Munich representative office, was unexpectedly presented with this vibrantly coloured painting. It later emerged that the work had been considered lost for more than a century; even specialists were only familiar with the subject through a sketch by the artist.

Our research confirmed the work’s artistic quality, art-historical significance and material value. Created at the threshold between Signac’s early work and his mature style, the painting stands out for its assured composition and luminous colour. Added to this are its exceptional state of preservation and an unbroken provenance: the grandfather of the current owners had acquired the painting in 1912 from the Paris gallery Bernheim-Jeune. Particularly remarkable is the survival of the original invoice from that time, which was handed over together with the painting – a rare document preserved by the family with the same care as the artwork itself.

News of the discovery sparked great enthusiasm among leading Signac specialists. Marina Ferretti-Bocquillon, author of the catalogue raisonné, and Charlotte Hellman Cachin, the artist’s great-granddaughter, were delighted by the rediscovery of this key work in Signac’s development.

At the June 2025 auction, several private collectors competed for the painting. The winning bid was placed by a US collector, for whom the harbour scene – including buyer’s premium – was worth just under CHF 6.2 million. The result reflects the extraordinary journey of this painting, which had remained hidden for so long. Only a few days after the auction, our logistics department delivered the work to the buyer’s holiday residence … on the Côte d’Azur.