How are you?
On every Thursday, I am introducing the stories about various artists and their
paintings with the title “Interesting Art Stories”.
The 35th story for this week is “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” by Georges Seurat.
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| Georges Seurat |
Reminiscing Paris in La
Belle Epoque period, this masterpiece by Georges Seurat is his most famous
work, painted from 1884 to 1886. Painted on a large canvas measuring
approximately 2 x 3 meters in size, this painting is a prime example of
Pointillism, depicting the landscape of a park where people from many different
social classes are doing various activities.
Seurat enlisted in the army
in 1879, and after being discharged in 1880, he ran a small studio in Paris,
and then in 1883 he first showed his work publicly. In the following year,
Seurat began creating this painting and exhibited it for the first time at the
eighth and last Impressionist exhibition in May 1886. With this painting,
Seurat was immediately recognized as the leader of a new form of impressionism
called Neo-Impressionism.
The Island of la Grande Jatte
is located in the river Seine, and when Seurat began creating this painting in
1884, it was an idyllic retreat far from the city center.
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| The Island of la Grande Jatte |
At the time, Sunday was the
day for Parisians to escape from the city and enjoy the shade of the trees and
the cool breezes from the river.
Seurat was inspired by
optical effects and perception included in the color theories of French chemist
Michel Eugène Chevreul, American physicist Ogden Rood and others, and applied
their scientific research to his painting. He drew numerous preliminary
drawings and oil sketches until completing this painting. Seurat, who has
always been serious, wanted to make a difference in art history as a painter
and succeeded with this painting.
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| Michel Eugène Chevreul |
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| Ogden Rood |
This painting has been reflected in various popular cultures.
As the first example, this painting was the basis for the 1984 Broadway musical "Sunday in the Park with George" by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, after which this painting is sometimes misnamed "Sunday in the Park."
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| Original Broadway Cover of "Sunday in the Park with George" |
As the second example, this
painting was prominently featured in the 1986 comedy film "Ferris
Bueller's Day Off."
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| Theatrical poster "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" |
As the third example, in
Topiary Park in Columbus, Ohio, there is a recreation of this painting in
topiary form, completed in 1989 by sculptor James T. Mason.
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| Recreation of A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte in Topiary Park, Columbus, Ohio |
This painting was purchased
in 1924 on the advice of the curator of the Art Institute of Chicago. The
original painting is surrounded with a frame of painted dots and in turn with a
pure white, wooden frame, which is still displayed in this form at the Art Institute
of Chicago.
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| Art Institute of Chicago |
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| On display of A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte at the Art Institute of Chicago |
Related works by Georges Seurat
Thank you.
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