A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte

Question 1

One-liner

Answer 1

Depiction of Parisian society by the river with people surrounded by trees, boats, a dog, and a monkey

Question 2

Line

Answer 2

• Crisp, deliberate, repeated dotted outlines define each figure and creates pattern conveying a sense of structure and stability - comment on rigidity of parisian upper class society

Question 3

Shape

Answer 3

• Repeated Flat, curved shapes throughout the composition creates balance and unity
• Shapes of Parisians are unnatuarly still, as if frozen in time - creating a sense of timelessness, unlike the fast, “fleeting moment” of impressionism

Question 4

Space

Answer 4

• Foreground, middle ground, and background (spacial planes) are clearly delineated, creates intense depth
• Neverending, vast space creates a sense of timelessness and permanance - rejection of the fleeting moment
• Distance between each figure, commenting on the alienation of Parisian society

Question 5

Colour

Answer 5

• Concious and scientific approach to colour theory
• Dots of “pure” red, yellow, blue, violet, green and orange placed next to each other - Pointilism which emphasised the seperation and divide in parisian society
• Creates a sense of relaxation and leisure with underlying social criticisms
• Optical mixing

Question 6

Value

Answer 6

• Stable use of shadows and shade under trees and highlights creates contrast

Question 7

Texture

Answer 7

• The surface texture is created by the dot technique of pointillism
• Metaphore: The overall painting emits emotion of relaxation and satisfaction, yet on surface level this facade is made up of monotonous, segregated dots - comment on the dual morality of upper class parisian society

Question 8

How Seurat uses Neo-Impressionism

Answer 8

George Seurat’s use of pointilism and structure comments on the rigid nature of Parisian society, adding emotional depth and underlying meaning rather than capturing a fleeting moment