Étude pour ‘La Grande Jatte’ 1884 - 1885

This is one of several oil-on-panel studies that Georges Seurat made in preparation for ‘La Grande Jatte’. Seurat was interested in optical mixing, the way that colors blend and vibrate when applied in small dots. This was quite a scientific approach, at a time when new technologies and materials were changing painting practice forever. Here, we can really get a sense of how Seurat built up his compositions. Look closely, and you will see tiny strokes everywhere, applied to the wooden panel. This labor-intensive approach stands in stark contrast to the leisure activities depicted. The painting seems to reflect a new kind of consumer culture emerging in Paris during the late 19th century, but its facture has more in common with artisanal methods. Seurat has taken modern life as his subject, but also updated the craft of painting itself. This is just one example of how a consideration of materials and making can enrich our understanding of art history.