Painting Movement

Neo-Impressionism

Neo-Impressionism emerged in France in the 1880s as painters separated colors into measured strokes or dots, guided by theories of light and color.

Neo-Impressionism quick facts

Seurat and Signac developed a deliberate way of placing colors side by side, replacing much Impressionist spontaneity with planned compositions.

Neo-Impressionism quick facts
Origin	France, especially Paris
Approximate early period	1886–1906; Neo-Impressionist painting continued afterward
French name	Néo-impressionnisme
Leading painters	Georges Seurat and Paul Signac
Early milestone	Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte—1884 exhibited in 1886
Name	Critic Félix Fénéon used the term Neo-Impressionism in 1886
Defining characteristics	Separated touches of color, deliberate composition, and interest in optical effects
Divisionism	A method of placing separate colors alongside one another, based on contemporary color theory
Pointillism	A technique of painting with small dots; not a separate movement or an exact synonym for Neo-Impressionism
Color theory	Juxtaposed hues were intended to interact visually when seen from a distance
Common subjects	Riverbanks, landscapes, coastal views, urban leisure, and everyday life
Painting media	Oil paint, among other media
Painting surfaces	Canvas and paper, depending on the work

Seurat helped establish the movement, Signac developed its theories and practice, and Cross later used larger strokes and more saturated color.

Major Neo-Impressionist painters and their contributions
Painter	Known for	Representative painting
Georges Seurat	Systematic color separation and carefully constructed compositions	A Sunday on La Grande Jatte—1884
Paul Signac	Developing Neo-Impressionist color theory and later mosaic-like brushwork	Hillside from Downstream, Les Andelys
Henri-Edmond Cross	Brighter colors and larger, separated strokes in Mediterranean landscapes	The Beach at Saint-Clair

Impressionism emphasized immediate observation, while Neo-Impressionism was more systematic; Fauvist painters later experimented with divided color.

Neo-Impressionism compared with related painting movements
Movement	How it differs
Impressionism	Shared subjects of light and modern life, but usually used freer, less systematically planned brushwork.
Post-Impressionism	A wider retrospective label covering several different artistic directions, including but not limited to Neo-Impressionism.
Fauvism	A later French movement using exaggerated color more freely; some Fauvist painters first experimented with divisionist techniques.