S eurat, Georges (1859-1891), French painter, who with fellow artist Paul Signac originated neoimpressionism. Born in Paris, the son of a bailiff took drawing lessons from 1875 and later copied works in museums. In 1878/79 he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts, and read works on color theory. After military service in 1880 he settled in Paris. In 1883 a large drawing was accepted by the Salon, and he began a large painting, an open-air scene, in the pointillist, or divisionist manner. In 1884 he met Signac and, with other likeminded artists, the Society of Independent Artists was founded to hold its own exhibitions. He rejected the irregular brushstrokes of impressionism in favor of pointillism, a technique he developed. Many artists imitated Seurat's method, but his technique remained almost unrivaled in its blending of colors. In 1884 Seurat completed Bathers at Asnières (The National Gallery, London), the first of six large canvasses that would constitute the bulk of his life's work. In 1885 he worked on the Paris Seine island Grand Jatte and in Grancamp on the coast of Normandy. He met Pissarro, who followed his style. In 1886 Seurat aroused great attention at the VIII Impressionists Exhibition with his masterpiece, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte (1884-1886, Art Institute of Chicago) and achieves an atmosphere of monumental dignity through the balanced arrangement of its elements and the contours of its figures.

He began to show his work alongside that of Pissarro and Signac; he met the art theorist C. Henry, and was in contact with Symbolists and anarchists. In 1887 he exhibited at Les XX in Brussels, attending the opening. In 1888 he painted in Port-en-Bessin, in 1889 on the caostof Crotoy, and again showed his work at Les XX in Brussels. In 1890 he painted in Gravelines and laid down his theories in writing. His arrogance contributed to the disintegration of the Neo-Impressionist movement. In 1891 he was once again represented at Les XX, and he died of diphtheria at the age of 31.

Seurat belonged to the generation of painters who could build on the inventions of early Impressionism and develop them further. Impressed by the color experiments of his precursors, which, however, still owed much intuition or chance and therefore still left room for the individual artistic expression, Seurat began to study scientifically developed theories of color, starting with those of Chevreul and Blanc. These studies enabled him to construct his paintings in accordance with the principle of optical mixture, or broken color, which made him the initiator and leading representative of pointillism. From then on Seurat's works were based entirely on theoretical considerations; nothing was left to chance, each dot of color had its appointed place. Each painting involved drawn-out preparation, working out the optical effect to be achieved. After Seurat's early death, his friend Signac took on the task of expounding his theories and gathering followers to find recognition for Seurat's endeavors. Seurat influenced many artists of the 20th century with his attempt at basing painting on a scientific footing and his adherence to srict forms.