A Sunday On La Pete Jatte By Georges Seurat
Georges Seurat’s most commemorated painting, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte-1884, deemed him the father of Pointillism and Neo-Impressionism. As a French post-impressionist artist, he was noted for his innovative style and painting techniques. Seurat’s artistic personality was very disparate when compared to his counterparts of the post-impressionist era. Other artists of that time period, such as Paul Cézanne or Henri Rousseau painted what may be considered more traditional art at that time, using the set standard of blending colors on canvas, rather than through optical illusions. Georges Seurat possessed qualities that were usually deemed incompatible with the creativity needed in art. Seurat never rigidly followed any of the popular theories.
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Many people believe that Seurat modified the aspects found in ancient art. Rather than appreciating the groundbreaking approach of mixing new techniques with antique values, art critics of that time abhorred it. They reasoned that the piece was too mathematical, stating the painting did not contain the creativity and expression needed in an effective work of art. What critics at that time did not understand was the notion that the placement of the figures aided in his objective of cementing Parisian culture for future generations to see. Georges Seurat was able to successfully capture the lifestyle and people of 19th century Paris by adapting the designs used by ancient egyptians and phoenicians in order to immortalize their own citizens. At first glance the setting appears relatively ordinary, nothing more than a scene of Parisians relaxing on a Sunday afternoon. Upon closer inspection, one can see the diversity amongst the people in the painting. The painting does not focus on one specific group. All social classes are included, from the bourgeois to the upper class, along with children, soldiers, and sailors. Even though the painting has a mixed variety of citizens, it is still strangely formal. The figures, including the animals, are mostly seen in a frontal or profile position. Many criticized Seurat’s positioning, negatively comparing it to that of toy soldiers. By having the people in the artwork in a profile position, Seurat was able to mimic the paintings and reliefs seen in Egyptian and other ancient art. The excavations of Egyptian artifacts unearthed historical pieces that allowed us to step into ancient Egypt. The careful preservation of their art allowed for us to understand their way of life, their culture, and their beliefs. Each art piece told a story. Seurat was able to memorialize Parisian life by adapting the style Egyptians used to monumentalize
Many people believe that Seurat modified the aspects found in ancient art. Rather than appreciating the groundbreaking approach of mixing new techniques with antique values, art critics of that time abhorred it. They reasoned that the piece was too mathematical, stating the painting did not contain the creativity and expression needed in an effective work of art. What critics at that time did not understand was the notion that the placement of the figures aided in his objective of cementing Parisian culture for future generations to see. Georges Seurat was able to successfully capture the lifestyle and people of 19th century Paris by adapting the designs used by ancient egyptians and phoenicians in order to immortalize their own citizens. At first glance the setting appears relatively ordinary, nothing more than a scene of Parisians relaxing on a Sunday afternoon. Upon closer inspection, one can see the diversity amongst the people in the painting. The painting does not focus on one specific group. All social classes are included, from the bourgeois to the upper class, along with children, soldiers, and sailors. Even though the painting has a mixed variety of citizens, it is still strangely formal. The figures, including the animals, are mostly seen in a frontal or profile position. Many criticized Seurat’s positioning, negatively comparing it to that of toy soldiers. By having the people in the artwork in a profile position, Seurat was able to mimic the paintings and reliefs seen in Egyptian and other ancient art. The excavations of Egyptian artifacts unearthed historical pieces that allowed us to step into ancient Egypt. The careful preservation of their art allowed for us to understand their way of life, their culture, and their beliefs. Each art piece told a story. Seurat was able to memorialize Parisian life by adapting the style Egyptians used to monumentalize