Study of Figures for La Grande Jatte 1884 - 1885

Georges Seurat created this oil on panel sketch, "Study of Figures for La Grande Jatte," as part of his meticulous preparation for his famous painting. The composition strikes you with its arrangement of simplified figures and broad brushstrokes of muted greens, blues and earthy tones. There is no clear form, only a suggestion of it. We can see that the figures are rendered as blocks of colour, almost dissolving into the dappled light of the park setting. Seurat was deeply interested in colour theory and the science of perception. This study reveals his focus on how colours interact and how light can be broken down into its constituent parts. Notice how these colour relationships create a sense of depth and atmosphere even in the absence of sharp details or clear outlines. This reflects Seurat's exploration of optical mixing, where colours blend in the viewer's eye, rather than on the canvas. Ultimately, the radical technique used in this sketch and the final painting destabilized the conventional artistic practices of the time.