Bathers at Asnières 1884

Fancy a dip? 🏊‍♂️ Georges Seurat (1859-1891) painted ‘Bathers at Asnières’ in 1884, at the age of 24. It was his first major piece, a statement of artistic experimentation that marked the beginning of his career. The work, however, was rejected by the Paris Salon. Why? 🤔 ‘Bathers at Asnières’ depicts a group of men relaxing on the banks of the River Seine. Some carelessly look out onto the tranquil water, while others lie stretched upon the soft grass. Two boys are playing in the river. The figures do not engage with the viewer; they remain undisturbed and restful as the viewer watches on. The hazy light and detached dots of colour build a soothing sense of calm. 🖼️ The men wear bowler hats and boots, fashions which are suggestive of their working-class status. Perhaps this is a weekend or holiday? Seurat has also included an industrial background, dominated by factories. A plume of smoke belches from a chimney in the far skyline. This creates a contrast between leisure and industry that speaks to the modernising society of the late nineteenth century. 🏭 Seurat was a French post-Impressionist. He is best known for developing the style of pointillism, a technique which uses small dots of colour rather than brushstrokes. 🎨 The composition of ‘Bathers at Asnières’ was planned meticulously, and Seurat studied the location in a variety of sketches. This was in contrast to the spontaneous and immediate technique favoured by many Impressionists at this time. The work is also unusual in its vast size. The artist uses a scale associated with academic history painting, rather than the experimental work of the Impressionists. 🧑‍🎨 Editor: Lucy Jude Grantham