Georges Seurat

Date of Birth: December 2, 1859

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Date of Death: March 29, 1891

Biography

Georges Seurat was a pioneering French painter and draftsman, born on December 2, 1859, in Paris, France. He is best known for developing the painting technique known as Pointillism, a method in which small, distinct dots of color are applied in patterns to form an image. Seurat’s most famous work, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte,” is widely regarded as a masterpiece of the 19th century. Seurat trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris but soon grew dissatisfied with the traditional methods taught there. He sought to bring a scientific approach to the study of color and light, inspired by the contemporary theories of color by Michel Eugène Chevreul and Ogden Rood. In 1884, he co-founded the Société des Artistes Indépendants, which allowed artists to exhibit their work without the constraints and judgments of the traditional art salons. Despite his short career, Seurat’s innovative techniques and meticulous attention to detail left a lasting impact on the art world, influencing future movements such as Neo-Impressionism and Modernism. Tragically, Seurat died at the young age of 31 on March 29, 1891, in Paris, likely due to an infectious disease.

5 Interesting Facts about Georges Seurat

1. Georges Seurat completed his most famous painting, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte,” in 1886 after two years of intensive work.

2. He was heavily influenced by the scientific theories of color and optical effects, particularly those by Michel Eugène Chevreul and Ogden Rood.

3. Seurat’s technique of Pointillism involves placing tiny dots of color in close proximity to each other, which the viewer’s eye blends together from a distance.

4. Seurat only had a seven-year professional career, yet he managed to revolutionize modern art with his innovative techniques.

5. He was known to be a very private person, sharing little about his personal life even with close friends and family.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Georges Seurat

1. “Some say they see poetry in my paintings; I see only science.”

2. “Originality depends only on the character of the drawing and the vision peculiar to each artist.”

3. “Painting is the art of hollowing a surface.”

4. “In our time there are many artists who do something because it is new, they see value in it because it is new. They are not concerned if it is better.”

5. “Art is Harmony. Harmony is the analogy of the contrary and of similar elements of tone, of color, and of line.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Georges Seurat did not achieve significant financial success during his lifetime, and there is no recorded highest net worth. However, his works are now considered priceless and are housed in major museums around the world.

Children

Georges Seurat had one known child, a son named Pierre-Georges Seurat, born in 1890. Unfortunately, Pierre-Georges died young, only a few weeks after his father in 1891.