What Is Pointillism in Art? 5 Famous Pointillist Paintings

Pointillism (initially known as divisionism and chromoluminarism) is a painting or drawing technique that involves placing small dots of color in close proximity to each other on a canvas to create a larger image. This technique originated in the late nineteenth century with the work of Neo-Impressionist painters like Georges Seurat in his painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. The pointillism technique relies on a tableau of pixelated colors that are used to render landscapes, still lifes, or portraits that take on new dimensions depending on how close you are to the image.

Pointillism originated with the Neo-Impressionist painters of the 1880s, who sought to deconstruct the artistic techniques of the Impressionist art movement. While the Impressionists simply depicted what they saw in real life, the Neo-Impressionists explored form and color through experimental paint application techniques. The term “Neo-Impressionism” was coined by French art critic Félix Fénéon in 1886 to describe one of Georges Seurat’s works—A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte—and pointillism would emerge within this movement.

Pointillism as a painting technique evolved from short brush strokes into fine, precise dots. The technique inspired other artists like French Post-Impressionist painters like Paul Gauguin, Henri Rousseau, Paul Cézanne, and the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh who used new techniques such as patterned brushstrokes and unnatural colors to capture their unique perspectives on the world. Though the pointillism art movement was relatively short-lived, its influence would ripple throughout the art world for decades to come. This deconstructivist art technique became one of the key influences of Surrealism and Fauvism, leading to a massive evolution in modern art.

Pointillism has a few unique characteristics that distinguish it from other painting techniques. Here are some basic characteristics of pointillism.

1. 1. Pixelated aesthetic: Pointillism employs tiny dots of color to blur an image together, similar to how pixels make up an image in a photograph or on a computer screen.
2. 2. Unmixed colors: Each dot of color within a pointillist painting is pure pigment, which means the colors are unmixed. Rather than blending colors together on the canvas to create effects like shadowing or depth, distinct points of pure color are placed next to one another in patterns to mimic the way an image looks in real life.
3. 3. Precise application: Pointillism takes precise planning and application because each contrasting color contributes to the optical illusion of an image with mixed colors.
   

There have been only a few truly famous pointillist artists in art history. Here are some of the most famous pointillist painters.

1. 1. Georges Seurat: Art historians consider French artist George Seurat to be the father of pointillism. Along with his famous painting Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, he was also responsible for pointillist works of art like The Labourers (1883), featured at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, as well as Bathers at Asnieres (1883-4), featured at the National Gallery in London.
2. 2. Paul Signac: Paul Signac, another French painter, became the new figurehead of pointillism after Seurat died. Signac had worked with Seurat throughout his career, most notably when the two teamed up to examine the visual effects of pointillism. Entrance to the Grand Canal, Venice (1905) is one of Signac’s major works. It depicts the titular location in muted, pastel brushstrokes that create a pointillist image.
3. 3. Charles Angrand: The neo-impressionist artist Charles Angrand used a muted palette for his pointillist works, seen specifically in his painting Couple in the Street (1887). Though he was rejected from the National School of Fine Arts in France, he developed his own brand of pointillism by making larger brush strokes.
4. 4. Théo van Rysselberghe: Late-nineteenth century painter Théo van Rysselberghe also utilized the pointillist style of painting. His first painting to feature the pointillist dot technique was his Portrait of Alice Sethe (1888). Another painting of his, Portrait of Madame Charles Maus (1890), is featured at the Musees Royaux des Beaux-Arts in Brussels.
5. 5. Maximilien Luce: French painter Maximilien Luce began using the pointillist technique in the late nineteenth century, though his depictions appeared more lush and passionate than Georges Seurat, who inspired him. Morning Interior (1890) and The Port of Saint-Tropez (1892) are two of Luce’s most well-known artworks.
6. 6. Henri-Edmond Cross: Henri-Edmond Cross is one of the masters of neo-impressionism who was directly influenced by Camille Pissarro and Claude Monet. He co-founded the Société des Artistes Indépendants where he befriended fellow neo-impressionist artists Seurat, Angrand, and Albert Dubois-Pillet. He created a number of pointillist pieces, including La Plage de Saint-Clair (1896) and L'air du soir (1893).

There are a few famous pointillist works of art that are featured in famous museums and galleries across the world. Here are some of those artworks.

1. 1. A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, Georges Seurat (1886): George Seurat’s iconic painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte is one of the most famous examples of the pointillist technique. Using a unique pointillism style, Seurat applied dabs of contrasting colors to create a scene of a crowd enjoying a relaxed afternoon.
2. 2. The Happy Family, Pablo Picasso (1917): Though he only briefly dabbled with the pointillism technique, The Happy Family is one of Pablo Picasso’s few works from his Cubist period that use this particular style of painting. In the painting, Picasso uses an array of clashing colors and fine points to depict a family scene.
3. 3. Self Portrait, Camille Pissaro (1903): In Camille Pissarro’s final self-portrait, he uses dappled brush strokes to create an honest depiction of himself, along with the view outside of his Paris apartment.
4. 4. Undergrowth, Vincent van Gogh (1887): Vincent van Gogh’s depiction of an overgrown forest area uses the classic techniques of pointillism, with colored dots creating light, shading, and contrast.
5. 5. Luxe, Calme et Volupté, Henri Matisse (1904): Henri Matisse’s painting Luxe, Calme et Volupté features short brush strokes in intense, surreal colors that became the signature look of a blossoming art trend known as fauvism.

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