Georges Seurat: A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte

A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte – 1884 is one of Georges Seurat's most famous works, and is an example of pointillism. The picture depicts an afternoon landscape on an Island with numerous representatives of high class community. The painting is relatively large in size; it is approximately 2 by 3 meters. Speaking about the shape the picture created, and this technique is called pointillism, which means separation of color into small touches placed side-by-side. Seurat used this particular style to blend in the eye of the viewer because light can be measured in particles as well as wavelengths. Such a technique, which nowadays is called divisionism, also allows the viewer’s eyes to perceive the light colors on the painting, thus mixing them in different colors. I think that the author wants to show us the example of how Parisians may enjoy spending the afternoon time. However, the main focus is landscape, especially technique of its painting for producing brighter colors, so I think that the main aim of the artist was to show the advantage of his new style. The title tells us about the island which is located on the Seine in the Neuilly-sur-Seine department of Paris and how a high class gets away for the Parisian community. I also notice that Seurat tries to show members of all classes who may coexisting peacefully. As for composition, my eyes flow across the whole painting, paying heightened attention to the technique but not to this or that particular object. Speaking about colors, it must be mention that the artist finished the work by adding a painted border of red, orange, and blue dots that provides a visual transition between the interior of the painting and his specially designed white frame. As for skills, they are, undoubtedly, on the highest level and as the evidence of it, I should mention the fact that Seurat re-works it several times and even painted a small version of the finished piece. All in all, the painting has significant meaning – as its author is the father of the Neo-impressionist art movement, this masterpiece is considered to be the symbol of the beginning of such art movement.