Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes ProCon History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture Money Videos
pointillism
Table of Contents
Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images & Videos
Georges Seurat: A Sunday on La Grande Jatte—1884
Connecting the dots: What is pointillism?
Quizzes
Color pastels, colored chalk, colorful chalk. Hompepage blog 2009, arts and entertainment, history and society
Ultimate Art Quiz
Encyclopaedia Britannica thistle graphic to be used with a Mendel/Consumer quiz in place of a photograph.
63 Questions from Britannica’s Most Popular Visual Arts Quizzes
Read Next
"Seascape at Port-en-Bessin, Normandy" Georges Seurat, ca. 1888, oil on canvas, 65.1 x 80.9 cm
Neo-Impressionism: What Was the Point?
Art texture. Close-up of yellow abstract painting. Hompepage blog 2009, arts and entertainment, history and society
10 Modernist Art Movements
Mona Lisa, oil on wood panel by Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1503-06; in the Louvre, Paris, France. 77 x 53 cm.
Why Is the Mona Lisa So Famous?
Aerial view of Florence (Firenze), Italy from the campanile of the Duomo, with the gigantic dome (designed by Filippo Brunelleschi) in the foreground. Unidentifiable tourists are visible on top of the dome, which provide a measure of the building s scale.
25 Famous Paintings to See the Next Time You’re in Florence
Painting palette with oil paints and brushes. Rainbow colored paints, arts and entertainment
Art History: The Origins of 7 of Your Favorite Art Supplies
Discover
Thanksgiving Celebration Traditional Dinner Setting Food Concept
Why Is Thanksgiving in the U.S. Celebrated on a Thursday?
Thanksgiving Turkey with all the sides
Why Do We Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving?
Plato (left) and Aristotle, detail from School of Athens, fresco by Raphael, 1508-11; in the Stanza della Segnatura, the Vatican. Plato points to the heavens and the realm of Forms, Aristotle to the earth and the realm of things.
Plato and Aristotle: How Do They Differ?
Confucius statue at a Confucian Temple in Shanghai, China. Confucianism religion
What is the Difference Between Daoism and Confucianism?
Los Angeles Police Department wanted flyer on Elizabeth Short, aka the "Black Dahlia," who was brutally murdered in January 1947. The FBI supported the Los Angeles Police Department in the case, including by identifying Short through her fingerprints that
America’s 5 Most Notorious Cold Cases (Including One You May Have Thought Was Already Solved)
Adolf Hitler (Nazi, nazism, German leader).
9 Things You Might Not Know About Adolf Hitler
Diverse elementary school children wearing school uniforms running outside of school. Boys girls
Pro and Con: School Uniforms
Georges Seurat: A Sunday on La Grande Jatte—1884
Georges Seurat: A Sunday on La Grande Jatte—1884 Museum patrons looking at A Sunday on La Grande Jatte—1884, oil on canvas by Georges Seurat, 1884/86; at the Art Institute of Chicago.

pointillism

art
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/art/pointillism
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Also known as: chromo-luminarism
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Article History
Quick Facts
Also called:
divisionism and chromo-luminarism
Date:
c. 1885 - c. 1910
Connecting the dots: What is pointillism?
Connecting the dots: What is pointillism?Let's get to the point: 220,000 points, in fact.
See all videos for this article

pointillism, in painting, the practice of applying small strokes or dots of color to a surface so that from a distance they visually blend together. The technique is associated with its inventor, Georges Seurat, in such works as A Sunday on La Grande Jatte—1884 (1884/86) and Bathers at Asnières (1884). He and his student, Paul Signac, both espoused Neo-Impressionism, a movement that flourished from the late 1880s to the first decade of the 20th century.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Alicja Zelazko.