dots of color make magic unfold

Perhaps no other painting has made such brilliant use of tiny dots of color, known as pointillism, than George Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Grande Jette". It's such a famous image and its full beauty and Seurat's artistic skill and can only be fully appreciated in person. It's housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's permanent collection, and every time I see it, I'm always amazed by its contrasting proportions - it's 10 feet wide - and is comprised of teeny, tiny dots of contrasting colors that make this image. It took Seurat two years to complete this pleasant piece, and looking closely as all of the figures, we can see people representing the various classes of the late 19th century. Seurat was born and lived in France (1859-1891), and is considered to be a Post-Impressionist painter who helped shape the direction of modern art with his style. 

the image in full - what a scene!

a close-up, class distinctions can be seen
in the figures' dress

a pet dog and a pet monkey
also get to enjoy the park



lovely, isn't it?



Want to learn more about George Seurat or this beautiful painting? Here's the Art Institute of Chicago's site devoted to this artist:
http://www.artic.edu/aic/exhibitions/seurat/seurat_themes.html