What makes Georges Seurat's masterpiece 'A Sunday on La Grande Jatte -1884' so revolutionary? What does the picture mean? And why did it become so famous? Join Alastair and James as they explore the mysteries of one of the most beguiling paintings in the history of art. If you want to see the artworks discussed in this episode you can switch on video in your podcast app at any time. Artworks in this episode: Georges Seurat, A Sunday on La Grand Jatte - 1884, 1884-86, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago Georges Seurat, Bathers at Asnières 1884, The National Gallery, London Georges Seurat, The Diner, 1883-84, Private Collection Georges Seurat, Embroidery; The Artist's Mother, 1882-83, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, La Grande Odalisque, 1814, Musée du Louvre, Paris Eugène Delacroix, Jacob Wrestling with the Angel, 1854-61, Saint-Sulpice, Paris Pierre-Cécile Puvis de Chavannes, The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, c.1869, The National Gallery, London Georges Seurat, Madame Seurat, the Artist's Mother, 1882-83, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles Georges Seurat, House at Dusk (La Cité), 1881-82, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Georges Seurat, Aman-Jean (Portrait of Edmond François Aman-Jean), 1882-83, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Georges Seurat, Seated Boy with Straw Hat, study for Bathers at Asnières, 1883-84, Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven Georges Seurat, Bathers (Study for "Bathers at Asnières"), 1883-84, National Gallery of Art, Washington D. C. Georges Seurat, Horse and Boats (Study for "Bathers at Asnières"), 1883-84, National Gallery of Art, Washington D. C. Georges Seurat, Boy from Behind, c.1893, Private Collection Arnold Böcklin, Isle of the Dead, 1880, Kunstmuseum, Basel Georges Seurat, The Couple: Study for La Grande Jatte, 1884, The British Museum, London Georges Seurat, La Grande Jatte, 1884, Private Collection Georges Seurat, Monkey, 1884, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Georges Seurat, The Channel at Gravelines, Evening, 1890, Museum of Modern Art, New York Recommended Reading: Alastair Sooke, Seurat: Bathers at Asnieres, 2025 Robert Herbert, Seurat: 1859-1891, 1991 Karen Serres, Seurat and the Sea, 2026 ————————— Follow Stories of Art on Instagram: @storiesofart.heni For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox Additional Research: Catherine Ingram Social Producer: Grace Dewar Producer and Editor: Ben Harding Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac
