Adventures in Art History Art Adventures    

Lesson 31: A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte

by Georges-Pierre Seurat

Directions

Study the painting for one week.

Over the week:

• Look at the painting.
• Read the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Read about the artist.
• Practice reciting the names of the artist and the painting.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Study the review questions.

Synopsis

'Ile de la Grande Jatte' translates to 'Island of Big Bowl.' The island is located on the river Seine at the gates of Paris. On Sundays, wealthy Parisians escaped the hot city to the cool, breezy riverfront of the island. Georges Seurat's 'Un dimanche après-midi à l'Île de la Grande Jatte (A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte)' features 3 dogs, 8 boats, and 48 people. Men, women, and children lounge on the grass and enjoy the river view, some in the shade and some in the sun. Many women hold parasols to shield their faces from the sun. One small girl in white looks directly at the painter/viewer. A lady holds a monkey on a leash. Two soldiers stand at attention. One lady extends a pole and fishes riverside. Sailboats drift over the river. A group of men wield paddles to propel a racing boat through the river. Seurat applied pointillism to create the painting.

Vocabulary

Pointillism: A technique of painting using tiny dots of colors, which blend in the viewer's eye.
Seine: A river that flows through Paris, France.
Paris: The capital of France.
Parisian: Of or relating to Paris.
Riverfront: The land along a river.
Parasol: A light umbrella used to give shade from the sun.
Leash: A strap for restraining and guiding an animal.

Concepts

Georges-Pierre Seurat painted 'A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.'

1. Georges Seurat was born in 1859, in Paris, France. See his picture below.

2. Find Seurat's country of birth on the map of Europe below.

3. Seurat pioneered the painting technique of pointillism. In pointillism, artists apply many small dots of color close together such that they blend together when viewed from a distance.
4. In 1891, Seurat died at the age of 31 of an unknown illness in Paris.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

During the week, study the painting and find the following:

• Ladies
• Men
• Children
• Boats
• Dogs
• Monkey
• Seine
• Parasols
• Shadows

Activity 2: Narrate the Painting

• After studying the painting, narrate the scene shown in the painting aloud using your own words.

Activity 3: Complete Vocabulary Activities

• While studying the vocabulary words, point them out in the painting.
• Define each of the vocabulary words in your own words.

Activity 4: Map the Story

• Ile de la Grande Jatte is located on the river Seine at the gates of Paris.
• Zoom in on the map below and find Paris, capital of France, and the Seine river.

Activity 5: Color the Artist   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 39 of 'Kindergarten Art History Coloring Book.'

Activity 6: Color the Painting   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 40 of 'Kindergarten Art History Coloring Book.'

Review

Question 1

Who are the characters in the painting?

1 / 4

Answer 1

People enjoying a day on the riverfront.

1 / 4

Question 2

What is the setting of the painting?

2 / 4

Answer 2

On an island outside Paris, France.

2 / 4

Question 3

What does one lady have on a leash?

3 / 4

Answer 3

A monkey.

3 / 4

Question 4

What other type of animal is in the painting?

4 / 4

Answer 4

Dogs.

4 / 4

❮ ❯

1. Who are the characters in the painting? People enjoying a day on the riverfront.
2. What is the setting of the painting? On an island outside Paris, France.
3. What does one lady have on a leash? A monkey.
4. What other type of animal is in the painting? Dogs.

References

'Georges-Pierre Seurat.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.