In November 1900, the town of Asnières launched an art competition to renew the mural decoration of the village hall. Several artists entered the competition,
including Dufy, Friesz, le Douanier Rousseau and Signac. All submitted their proposals on 10 December in the form of four painted panels reproducing the layout of the walls of the hall in a reduced format. The exhibition took place in Asnières from 16 to 25 December, at the end of which a jury made up of Besnard, Harpignies and Humbert selected the three finalists. Paul Signac’s project was not selected and Henri Bouvet was finally chosen to create the frescoes.
On 11 November 1900, Signac wrote about the competition in his diary on his birthday: « Thirty-seven years! Started the sketches for the Asnières Town Hall competition. In such a small format, it’s very difficult to show the contrasts and gradations that will be so important on the walls… Besides, why worry so much when it’s certain that my project won’t win a prize? It’s with no hope, quite sincerely, that I’m entering this competition. But do you have the right to complain about not having any walls to decorate if you don’t do anything to get them » Although the four sketches painted by Signac are now in private hands, they were exhibited in 2013 at the Musée Fabre as part of the Signac, les couleurs de l’eau exhibition. Our drawing is a preparation for the left-hand part of the second central panel. It shows the same arrangement of trees on the right, with the Pont d’Asnières in the background.
A certificate of authenticity from Madame Marina Ferretti accompanies this drawing.