Art Institute of ChicagoPublic domain

A Sunday on La Grande Jatte — 1884

Georges Seurat · 1884–86, border added 1888–89

Analyst brief

What the record supports

Georges Seurat's "A Sunday on La Grande Jatte — 1884" was created using oil on canvas between 1884 and 1886, with a border added from 1888 to 1889. The artwork measures 207.5 × 308.1 cm and is classified as an oil on canvas from the Painting and Sculpture of Europe department, representing French culture. The artist's nationality is not specified in the authority record, but he was a French painter (1859-1891).

The painting's provenance traces back to the artist's mother, Mme. Seurat, in 1891, and subsequently to his brother, Emile Seurat. It was sold to Casimir Brû in 1900 for 800 francs and later given to his daughter, Lucie Brû Cousturier. Frederic Clay and Helen Birch Bartlett acquired the work in 1924 for $20,000, possibly through Charles Vildrac, before donating it to the Art Institute of Chicago in 1926.

The artwork has been extensively exhibited and referenced in literature since its completion. Notable exhibitions include its debut at the VIIIème Exposition de peinture in Paris in 1886, several Société des Artistes Indépendants shows, and a retrospective of Seurat's work in 1905. It also featured in multiple exhibitions in Chicago and elsewhere after its acquisition by the Bartletts.

Generated from the catalogue fields shown on this page. Nartmad does not assert attributions, valuations or prices that no cited source supports.

Provenance

Ownership history

By descent to Mme. Seurat, the artist’s mother (died 1899), Paris, 1891; by descent to Emile Seurat, the artist’s brother; sold for 800 francs to Casimir Brû, Paris, 1900; given by him to his daughter, Lucie, Paris, 1900; Lucie Brû Cousturier and Edmond Cousturier, Paris; sold for $20,000 possibly through Charles Vildrac, Paris to Frederic Clay and Helen Birch Bartlett, Chicago, 1924; given to the Art Institute, 1926.

Recorded by Art Institute of Chicago.

Exhibitions

Exhibition history

Paris, Maison Dorée, 1, rue Laffitte, VIIIème Exposition de peinture, May 15–June 15, 1886, cat. 175.
Paris, Rue des Tuileries, IIème Exposition de la Société des Artistes Indépendants, August 21–September 21, 1886, cat. 353.
Brussels, Musée de l’Art Modern, IVe exposition annuelle de XX, February, 1887, cat. 1.
Paris, Pavillon de la Ville de Paris, VIIIème Exposition de la Société des Artistes Indépendants, March 19–April 27, 1892, cat. 1082.
Paris, 23 Boulevard des Italiens, Exposition de La Revue Blanche, Georges Seurat: Oeuvres peintes et dessinées, March 19–April 5, 1900, cat. 17.
Paris, Grandes Serres de la Ville de Paris (serre “B” de la Champs de la Reine, Aval-Alma), 21me Exposition de la Société des Artistes Indépendants. Éxposition Rétrospective Georges Seurat (1859-1891), 1905, cat. 18.
Paris, Galeries Bernheim-Jeune et Cie, Georges Seurat (1859-1891), December 14, 1908–January 9, 1909, cat. 58.
Paris, Galeries Bernheim-Jeune, Exposition Georges Seurat, January 15–31, 1920, cat. 23.
Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Exhibition of Modern French Paintings from the Birch-Bartlett Collection, April–September, 1925, checklist no. 9.
Boston Art Club, Birch-Bartlett Collection of Modern French Paintings, December 9-16, 1925, checklist no. 26.
Art Institute of Chicago, A Century of Progress Exhibition of Paintings and Sculpture, June 1–November 1, 1933, cat. 370.
Art Institute of Chicago, A Century of Progress Exhibition of Paintings and Sculpture, June 1–November 1, 1934, cat. 324.

Literature

Published references

Jules Christophe, Georges Seurat (Paris, 1890).
Gustave Kahn, “Seurat,” L’Art Moderne 11 (April 5, 1891), pp. 107-10.
Henry van de Velde, “Georges Seurat,” La Wallonie 6 (March/April 1891), pp. 167-71.
Emile Verhaeren, “Mort de Georges Seurat,” La Nation (April 1, 1891).
Emile Verhaeren, “Georges Seurat,” La Société nouvelle (April 30, 1891), pp. 430-38.
Téodor de Wyzewa, “Georges Seurat,” L’Art dans les Deux Mondes 22 (April 18, 1891), pp. 263-64.
Jules Christophe, “Seurat,” La Plume (September 1, 1891).
Paul Signac, D’Eugène Delacroix au néo-impressionnisme (Paris, 1899).
Emile Verhaeren, “Georges Seurat,” L’Art Moderne 15, 13 (April 1, 1900), p. 104.
Thadée Natanson, “Un Primitif d’aujourd’hui: Georges Seurat,” La Revue Blanche 21 (April 1900), pp. 610-14.
Emile Verhaeren, “Notes: Georges Seurat,” La Nouvelle Revue Française 1 (February 1, 1909), p. 92.
Roger Fry, “The Post-Impressionsists,” in Manet and the Post-Impressionists, exh. cat. (Grafton Galleries, London, 1910-11), pp. 8-9.

Comparables