The Courtauld presents the first-ever exhibition dedicated to the seascapes of French artist Georges Seurat (1859–1891). Marking the first major exhibition devoted to Seurat in the UK in nearly 30 years, this focused display traces the evolution of his radical and distinctive style through the recurring motif of the sea.
Home to the largest collection of Seurat’s works in the United Kingdom, The Courtauld offers a fitting setting for this landmark exhibition. Widely recognized as the founder of Neo-Impressionism, Seurat revolutionized modern painting through his pointillist technique, rendering light and form by juxtaposing small dots of pure colour. Due to his untimely death at the age of 31, Seurat left behind a remarkably small body of work, making exhibitions dedicated to him exceptionally rare.
The Griffin Catalyst Exhibition: Seurat and the Sea brings together 26 paintings, oil sketches, and drawings created during the five summers Seurat spent along the northern coast of France between 1885 and 1890. Working in port towns on the English Channel—including Honfleur, Port-en-Bessin, and Gravelines—Seurat captured seascapes, regattas, and scenes of port life using his distinctive Neo-Impressionist technique.
As Seurat described, he sought “to wash his eyes of the days spent in the studio [in Paris] and to translate in the most faithful manner the bright clarity, in all its nuances.” These coastal works provide a compelling counterpoint to his better-known Parisian compositions.
While Seurat’s urban scenes have long dominated scholarly attention, this exhibition highlights a vital yet often overlooked dimension of his practice. His seascapes reveal an artist deeply engaged with light, atmosphere, and colour in the open air—pushing the boundaries of Neo-Impressionism beyond the city.
By focusing on this pivotal period, the exhibition invites audiences to reassess Seurat’s artistic development and to appreciate the sea as a central and transformative element in his oeuvre.
