ModelsGeorges Seurat · 1887
Oil On Canvas- WallArt
- Impressionism
1887- 19th Century
Barnes Foundation
The Composition and Subject Matter
The painting depicts a nude female body in three different poses, serving as a response to critics who claimed Seurat's technique was too cold to represent life. The composition is highly intricate, featuring the models in a way that subverts traditional hierarchies by using large canvas dimensions typically reserved for history paintings. In the left background, the work incorporates part of Seurat's earlier masterpiece, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. This inclusion helps establish the studio setting and connects the various stages of his artistic evolution.
Technical Execution
The artwork is a post-impressionist piece that utilizes a pointillist technique. The scene is composed of a series of colored dots that blend together when viewed from afar. The painting includes part of the 1884–1886 work A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte in the left background. The figures are depicted in three different poses.
Georges Seurat (1859 – 1891)
French Neo-Impressionist who used pointillism and tiny dots of pure color to reconstruct light and form in scenes of Parisian leisure.
Barnes Foundation (Philadelphia, United States of America)
The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia features a unique collection of Impressionist and modern masterpieces. Explore these curated ensembles today.
About this artwork
- Title: Models
- Artist: Georges Seurat
- Year: 1887
- Format: Landscape
- Copyright status: Public domain
- Where to see it: Barnes Foundation
- Medium: Oil On Canvas
- Period: 19th Century
- Creative period: Mature Period
- Inventory number: BF811
Quick Facts
- Location: Private Collection
- Title: Models
- Artistic style: Post-Impressionism
- Artist: Georges Pierre Seurat
- Notable elements or techniques: Optical mixing; Pointillist dots
Questions & Answers
Is "Models" by Georges Seurat a light or a dark artwork?
"Models" is balanced overall, and its luminance is soft shadow.
What does "Models" by Georges Seurat depict?
The themes present in "Models" by Georges Seurat include nude models, umbrellas, outdoor scene, composition, light studies, seurat technique, impressionist painting. Together they summarize the artwork's subject matter.
What is the inventory number of "Models" at the Barnes Foundation?
The inventory number of "Models" by Georges Seurat at the Barnes Foundation is BF811.