The Island: Île de la Grande Jatte
France and the socio-political and artistic scene of the late 1880s
Poster for the 1889 Exposition Universelle
The building of the Eiffel Tower from 1887 to 1889
View of Seine River, looking toward Notre-Dame (between 1851 and 1870),
photographed by Édouard Baldus
Following the end of the French Revolution in 1799, Napoleon crowned himself emperor, beginning a time period that is categorized by conquest and conflict, namely the Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon ruled until his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Even with Napoleon off of the thrown, conflict is far from over. The next sixty years bring challenges to the government/monarchy, an attempt at a republic, and the extremely disastrous Franco-Prussian War. The end of this war marked the end of France's domination over Europe and the start of the Third Republic, which would last well into the 1900s.
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While French history in the 19th century is quite complicated, the 1880s provided a time of relative peace and decent growth, both industrially and artistically. By the point in history when Seurat was creating his masterpiece, France has securely entered the Belle Epoque or "beautiful epoch". This is a time when the upper classes of France are enjoying the outcomes of the Second Industrial Revolution (lasting from 1870 is to 1914), technological and scientific advances, as well as militaristic peace. The arts flourished and many French artistic legacies, like the can-can, became a part of French society. The Eiffel Tower also began being built and was exhibited in 1889 at the Exposition Universelle. This is the time period in which the first act is set (between 1884 and 1886).
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To read more about the artistic time period during which Seurat was painting, refer to the "The Artist" tab of this site.
Île de la Grande Jatte
A modern view of Île de la Grande Jatte
Île de la Grande Jatte in 2011
Many upper class citizens, as well as a few working class citizens, would be able to enjoy time in nature by the cool Seine River at islands like the Île de la Grande Jatte. The island was used as a social space, a place of exercise, leisure, rest, and an outdoor art studio. This island and time period provide the setting for Seurat’s 1886 painting Sunday Afternoon on La Grande Jatte and the setting for the first act of Sunday in the Park with George. Today, the island may look different, but it is still picturesque with parks, cafes, and many visitors each year. A more modern view of the island is shown in Act II of Sunday in the Park with George.
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To see more representations of the island and the Seine River, refer to the "More Paintings" tab of this site.