Works of Neo-Impressionism are recognisable by the small dots of colour which, when viewed from a distance, blend to create nuanced tones and the illusion of light. One of the first artists to implement this style of painting was Georges Seurat, who critics initially thought would bring about the death of painting itself. Seurat and his contemporaries, Paul Signac, Anna Boch, Jan Toorop and Henri-Edmond Cross to name a few, all adopted this technique in their Neo-Impressionist work.
This method, popularly known as pointillism, was ground-breaking at the time. It simplified forms and played with colour, bringing the works to the edge of abstraction.
As well as being renowned for their innovative painting style and use of colour, Neo-Impressionists were also champions of radical political ideas. They would combine idyllic scenes with the struggles faced by the working class, and the industrial age.
Neo-Impressionist works in the Gallery’s collection include Seurat’s ‘The Channel of Gravelines, Grand Fort-Philippe', Camille Pissarro’s ‘Late Afternoon in our Meadow’, and 'Coastal Scene’ by Théo van Rysselberghe