Image Gallery
A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Seurat
An 1884-6 oil on canvas, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, by Georges Seurat (1859-1891), the French pointillist painter. The Grande Jatte is a narrow island in the Seine near Paris, then a popular destination for day-trippers. This very large canvas was the first to be recognised as part of a new style that replaced impressionism, a style that became known as neo-impressionism. Seurat's particular method involved scientifically applying small dots of paint based on charts of complementary colours and theories about light. The formal rigidity of the scene was the most striking new feature of this new method. (Art Institute of Chicago, USA)
Bibliography
- Bouruet-Aubertot, Veronique. The Complete Book of Impressionism . Ji Mu Wen Hua, 2020.
- Howard, Michael. Encyclopedia of Impressionism. Thunder Bay Pr, 1997.
- Rubin, James H & Lablanche, Dominique & Manss, Thomas. Impressionism A&I . Phaidon Press, 1999.
- Thomson, Belinda. Impressionism. Thames & Hudson, 2022.
Questions & Answers
How did Impressionism change the art world?
- Impressionism changed the art world because it changed the focus to everyday subjects rather than religious and mythological ones. Impressionist painters also used brighter colours and focussed on capturing momentary scenes of light or human activity.
What is the most famous Impressionist painting?
- Today, probably the most famous impressionist painting is Water Lilies by Claude Monet.
Which Impressionist went blind?
- Claude Monet was an impressionist painter who almost went blind. His sight deteriorated so much he could not distinguish colours or shapes for his work without special glasses and, eventually, an operation.
What changes did post impressionist paintings show?
- Post-Impressionist paintings made changes to impressionism, chiefly adding more symbolism and the more dramatic use of contrasting colours,