Post-Impressionism · 1859–1891 · French

Georges Seurat

Seurat set small dots of unmixed color side by side so they blend in the eye, a method drawn from the color science of Chevreul and Rood. Some of his yellows were zinc yellow, which has since darkened.

Across 4 works, the colors are mostly gray (34%), brown (29%) and blue (10%). On average the canvases are light, moderately saturated and warm. Signature colors, used far more here than across the collection: light lime yellow, muted crimson red, pewter, pigeon grey and light grey.

Color print

The swatches covering most of these canvases, averaged over every work, dark to light.

• MG 213 light grey 7.3% of canvas
• MG 214 pewter 7.3% of canvas
• MG 172 oatmeal 5.9% of canvas
• MG 208 pigeon grey 5.8% of canvas
• MG 215 grey 4.3% of canvas
• MG 173 putty 4.3% of canvas
• MG 216 dark grey 3.9% of canvas
• MG 171 bone 3.0% of canvas
• MG 212 pale grey 2.9% of canvas
• MG 181 light sand 2.7% of canvas
• MG 209 cool grey 2.7% of canvas
• MG 174 warm grey 2.6% of canvas
• MG 206 silver 2.5% of canvas
• MG 095 muted azure blue 2.5% of canvas
• MG 207 pale slate 2.4% of canvas
• MG 218 graphite 2.4% of canvas

Measurements

Lightness

0.64

Contrast

0.48

Vividness

0.036

Warmth

+0.45

Complexity

170 cells

Hue range

0.70

Focus

0.02

Works

• A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, 1884
• Bathers at Asnières, 1884
• The Models, 1886
• The Circus, 1891