Georges Seurat

Profession: Post-Impressionist Painter

Nationality:

Biography: Georges Seurat was a French post-Impressionist painter known for pioneering the technique called pointillism, or divisionism. This method used tiny dots of various pure colors, which are intended to blend in the viewer's eye rather than on the canvas. Seurat's meticulous and scientifically-informed approach marked a significant departure from the more intuitive and emotive style of impressionism.

Born in Paris to a family with a legal background, Seurat initially followed a conventional artistic path, enrolling at the École des Beaux-Arts in 1878. He was influenced by color theory and the work of Impressionist painters, but he sought to apply a more systematic method to his art.

Seurat's most famous work, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte (1884–1886), exemplifies his innovative technique and attention to the interplay of colors. The painting depicts Parisians relaxing in a suburban park on an island in the Seine River and took him two years to complete, illustrating his meticulous approach to his craft. The vast canvas is composed of countless small dots, which combine to create vibrant scenes.

Although Seurat's career was brief—he died at just 31 years of age—his impact on the art world was profound. He left behind a body of work that profoundly influenced future artists, including the Neo-Impressionists and the Cubists. His methodical approach to painting, based on the latest research in optical and color theory, was revolutionary at the time and remains influential even today.

Seurat kept away from the public eye, focusing on his art and theories, and consequently, he wasn't widely recognized during his lifetime. The legacy of his techniques, however, and the body of work which he created have cemented his reputation as one of the key figures of late 19th-century art. His work continues to be exhibited in major museums around the world, and "La Grande Jatte" remains a centerpiece of the collection at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Born: December 2, 1859
Birthplace: Paris, France
Star Sign: Sagittarius

Died: March 29, 1891 (aged 31)