Signac was particularly interested in sailing ships and the world of harbours. His sailing boat Olympia, in which he followed his friend Cross to Saint-Tropez in 1892, was probably a decisive factor. While he was still waiting for his painting materials in what was then a small coastal town, he began to paint in watercolours on the advice of Pissaro. In the following years, he created a large number of watercolours that allowed him greater freedom of expression.