Alongside Paul Signac, he focused on the theoretical principles of color interaction. His technique of portraying light through the use of small brushstrokes of contrasting colors became known as divisionism. A less accurate term is Pointillism, as this refers more to the application technique. He tested his theory that the small dots would mix together in the viewer’s eye at a distance for the first time in his large canvas La baignade à Asnières (1883-1884; National Gallery, London), although the colors themselves were still mixed.
In subsequent works, including the large canvas Dimanche d’été à la Grande Jatte (1886; Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago), he placed unmixed colors next to each other, a method that is characteristic of neo-impressionism, of which he was a prominent representative.
In addition to a number of large pieces, Seurat also painted landscapes, genre scenes, and portraits. His design is balanced, taut, and geometric in structure. Not only in technical terms but also in atmosphere, Seurat’s style differs from impressionism, among other things because he soon ceased to pay attention to natural light and created most of his large works in his studio.
In his later large-scale works, he primarily focused on capturing movement, as seen in Le chahut (1889-1890; Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo) and Le cirque (1891; unfinished; Musée d’Orsay in Paris).
www.ftn-books.com has some Seurat titles available
