Famous Art for the Pandemic – & Life
Update 03 July 2025: This post was initially published during the 2020/2021 COVID pandemic. As an art history professor, world traveler and lover of great art and art museums, I set out to connect famous art with what was going on in the world around us. First posted on Face Book, it moved into the creation of this website. Click here for additional postings on a Year in the Life of the Pandemic.
“Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte”
Georges Seurat, French, Pointillism, 1884-86
Social distancing, Paris style! As we Minnesotans enjoyed our 10,000+ lakes and rivers during the summer while trying to social distance, this painting came to mind. It is one of my personal favorites.
Interestingly, as I view this painting for the umpteenth time, but with COVID-19 eyes—these Parisians, in little clusters on the River Seine, appear to me to be using perfect social distancing, although I’m sure that is not what Seurat intended!
I am in awe of Seurat’s patience to create this huge (6’10” x 10’1”) oil painting using NO LINES, only tiny DOTS!
“Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” makes its home at the Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois. Our young daughters enjoyed seeing it with me during a road trip to Chicago. The actual size of this painting can be appreciated in this photo I took of them during that visit.
TRAVEL TIP: The Art Institute of Chicago is a fabulous museum with a magnificent collection of famous art. It is along Michigan Avenue’s Museum Mile and next door to the fun sculpture of The Bean in Millennial Park. It is a great city to visit for a long weekend; and plan at least 4 hours at this art museum! artic.edu
Did you enjoy this post? This painting? Let me know with a simple click on the “LIKE” button below. Encouraging comments are also welcome! Thanks! ~Cher
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