Seurat Paints A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte

In 1886, French artist Georges Seurat completed A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, a monumental painting depicting Parisians relaxing in a riverside park. The work pioneered Pointillism (or Divisionism), a technique of applying small, distinct dots of pure color that blend optically when viewed from a distance. Measuring approximately 2 by 3 metres, the painting took Seurat two years to complete. It became a defining work of Neo-Impressionism and a landmark in the history of modern art. It is housed at the Art Institute of Chicago.