A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte

A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte is a renowned painting by French artist Georges Seurat, created between 1884-1886. The painting is quite big - approximately 2 by 3 meters.

In order to create the painting, Georges Seurat used the style of painting known as Pointillism- a method where the painting consists of little dots or brushstrokes of different colors that will blend into one cohesive picture when viewed from afar.

The painting depicts an incident from the everyday life of Paris middle class people having fun on the island of La Grande Jatte (island in the River Seine in France). The people in the painting are calmly walking, sitting on the grass, or just spending a peaceful Sunday afternoon. The island was a popular recreation ground in the mid-19th century, and the artist has painted the mood of the time very beautifully.

The painting also carries a social tone, because it does not only represent a moment of leisure but subtly suggests alienation of certain social groups. There are certain individuals in the painting who appear withdrawn or detached emotionally, even in such a laid-back environment. This could be a representation of growing social isolation in the period of industrialization.

A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte has been part of the Art Institute of Chicago collection since 1926.

P.S. More about the painting is at the link - A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.