Paul Signac visited Rotterdam in 1906 and was impressed by the city’s vitality. On a postcard showing a view of the port, he wrote, "From my window! So much hustle and bustle!
Am enthusiastic, but amazed." Signac made numerous sketches and watercolors of the view from his room in the Victoria Hotel in Willemsplein. One of them—a large drawing in various shades of black and gray—is also in the museum’s collection. He painted The Port of Rotterdam after his return to France. The work is notable for its light, vivid colors. Rendered mainly in pink, pale green, and lilac tones, the scene looks French rather than Dutch. Signac produced a sparkling work rendered in loose, block-like brushstrokes that evoke the energy of the busy port. He emphasized its sunny side rather than its industrial function.