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Overview
What is Pointillism?
c. 1886 – 1900sPeriod
Paris, FranceBegan in
12Key artists on this page
12Works with free images
12Museums to visit
Pointillism (, also US: ) is a technique of painting in which small, distinct dots of color are applied in patterns to form an image. Georges Seurat and Paul Signac developed the technique in 1886, branching from Impressionism. The term "Pointillism" was coined by art critics in the late 1880s to ridicule the works of these artists, but is now used without its earlier pejorative connotation. The movement Seurat began with this technique is known as Neo-impressionism. The Divisionists used a similar technique of patterns to form images, though with larger cube-like brushstrokes.From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Original Art Movements text
This is the text that appeared on this page on the original Art Movements site. It is kept for reference; some statements are simplified or out of date. Where it differs from the overview, characteristics and dates above, which are checked against Wikipedia and Wikidata, trust those instead.
This movement developed from Impressionism and involved the use of many small dots of colour to give a painting a greater sense of vibrancy when seen from a distance. The equal size dots never quite merge in the viewer’s perception resulting in a shimmering effect like one experiences on a hot and sunny day. One of the leading exponents was Seurat to whom the term was first applied in regard to his painting ‘La Grand Jette’ (1886).
Seurat was part of the Neo-Impressionist movement which included Camille Pissarro, Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Paul Signac. The word Divisionism describes the theory they followed while the actual process was known as pointillism.The effects of this technique, if used well, were often far more striking than the conventional approach of mixing colours together.
The Neo-Impressionist movement was brief yet influential. The term Divisionism was also the name of an Italian version of Neo-Impressionism in the 1890s and early 1900s, and one can trace a line to Futurism which was founded in 1909.
The Night Café by Vincent van Gogh, 1888 · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
Period
c. 1886 – 1900s
Began in
Paris, France
Key artists
Henri Matisse, Camille Pissarro, Georges Seurat, Paul Signac
Related
Post-Impressionism, Les Nabis, Impressionism
How to recognise it
Key characteristics of Pointillism
Small, separate dots or dabs of pure colour
Colours mix in the viewer's eye rather than on the palette
Based on contemporary scientific theories of colour and optics
Calm, carefully composed scenes
Part of the wider movement known as Neo-Impressionism
Timeline
When was Pointillism?
Pointillism is usually dated c. 1886 – 1900s, beginning in Paris, France. Dates for art movements are approximate: artists joined and left, and styles overlapped.
Each bar shows an artist's life; the shaded band is the main period of Pointillism.
Camille Pissarro
Anna Boch
Henri-Edmond Cross
Giovanni Segantini
Georges Seurat
Théo van Rysselberghe
Paul Signac
Émile Bernard
Henri Matisse
Paul Klee
Mikhail Larionov
Robert Delaunay
Pointillism
1830–1903
1848–1936
1856–1910
1858–1899
1859–1891
1862–1926
1863–1935
1868–1941
1869–1954
1879–1940
1881–1964
1885–1941
1840186018801900192019401960
Who
Key Pointillism artists
Artists linked to Pointillism in Wikidata, ordered by how widely they are covered on Wikipedia. Artists marked Art Icons have a full profile on our sister site.
Pictures built from small dots or dabs of pure colour, pioneered by Georges Seurat and Paul Signac.
When was Pointillism?
Pointillism: c. 1886 – 1900s. It began in Paris, France. Dates for art movements are approximate.
What are the main characteristics of Pointillism?
Small, separate dots or dabs of pure colour; Colours mix in the viewer's eye rather than on the palette; Based on contemporary scientific theories of colour and optics; Calm, carefully composed scenes; Part of the wider movement known as Neo-Impressionism.
Who are the most famous Pointillism artists?
Henri Matisse, Camille Pissarro, Georges Seurat, Paul Signac, Paul Klee.
What are some famous Pointillism works?
The Night Café by Vincent van Gogh; A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat; Bathers at Asnières by Georges Seurat; The Circus by Georges Seurat; Luxe, Calme et Volupté by Henri Matisse.
Where can I see Pointillism art?
Yale University Art Gallery (New Haven, United States), Art Institute of Chicago (United States), National Gallery (London, United Kingdom), Musée d'Orsay (Paris, France), Musée National d'Art Moderne (Paris, France) hold works shown on this page.
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