Model in Profile 1886

Georges Seurat painted this oil on wood panel, titled 'Model in Profile,' sometime before his death in 1891. This work offers an intimate glimpse into the tradition of the artist's model. Seurat’s distinctive pointillist technique invites a conversation about identity and representation. The nude figure, composed of tiny dots, challenges conventional academic nudes, which often idealized the body. Seurat’s approach seems to democratize the form, presenting a more tangible, less idealized vision of the human figure. The model's averted gaze removes any direct confrontation, offering a sense of privacy and introspection. The brushstrokes allow us to consider our own gaze, our own expectations of beauty and representation. It’s a study of form and light, but also a gentle statement about the act of seeing and being seen.