GEORGES SEURAT - 4

Le Chahut (shay-yu)
(The Can-can)
1889-1890

The Chahut painting depicts a popular French  entertainment.  When I first looked at this painting, I saw men dancing the Can-can dance.  Huh?  Well, I did some research and learned that, yes, men danced the can-can, a disorderly dance called the Chahut which was originally performed by men at public dance halls.   Women soon began dancing the can-can in a similar manner to the men, and the dance became even more popular.    

We see the interior of a dance hall where a chorus line of women and men are enthusiastically dancing the can-can, a risque dance for that time, along with an orchestra.  Seurat painted this work at a time when the city of Paris had become flooded with a variety of nightly entertainment that impacted artists and poets of the period.  He captured the flamboyant dance in a strict system of countless minutely applied dots of paint, lines and color combinations.

Seurat felt a person's mood was related to both line and color.  He believed that light tones, warm colors and upward lines created happiness, while sadness was created by dark tones, cold colors and downward lines.  According to Seurat, a painting should show joy, peace or sorrow.

With that theory in mind, notice how he used warm colors, giving the painting an orange glow in places.  Similarly, he created rising lines with the upward direction of the men's moustaches, the women's lips and eyes, the neck of the double bass instrument, the legs of the dancers, the conductor's hand and the flowers in the background.   Apart from the double bass player with his back toward the viewer, all the figures appear to be wearing the same color.  Note on the left side of the painting how Seurat uses shades of green and flecks of blue, orange and maroon to create shadows.  Notice again the halos or auras around the figures.  

Note the man in the lower right corner of the painting...a male spectator staring at the dancers.  Critics comment on this male sitting below the performers the way he appears to be staring upwards at the open skirt of the female performer.

Notice how the deeper blue border around the edge of the canvas culminates in a shallow arch on the upper edge.

This painting carries within it a deeper meaning.  Seurat's depiction of the working-class dancers reflects his interest in social issues.  He subtly critiques the exploitation and degradation of women in the entertainment industry.  The painting offers us a glimpse into the cultural landscape of Paris in the late 1800s.  It celebrates the city's nightlife, its artistic spirit, and its social complexities.

Georges Seurat's Le Chahut is located at the Kroller-Muller Museum in Otterlo, Netherlands.

This project introduces us to Pointillism.  Instead of mixing colors on a palette, the pointillist applies their brush directly to the canvas with raw tones.  He places small round or square touches or dots.....the mixing and blending of pigments occur directly on the canvas and not beforehand.  This technique completely breaks away from traditional painting methods.

I've learned, too, that engaging in dot painting activities is great for children.  The skills and concepts children develop through the use of dot markers extend beyond art.  Fine motor skills, focus, creativity and cognitive abilities are all enhanced through dot painting, which contributes to overall development.  Who knew.