A River Bank (The Seine at Asnières)
- Artist: Georges Seurat
- Date: about 1883
- Medium: oil on wood
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the "A River Bank (The Seine at Asnières)" by Georges Seurat. Painted around 1883, this small panel showcases the artist's early work along the river Seine in an industrial suburb north-west of Paris.
You'll notice that the scene is carefully organised into distinct sections, using geometry to create a sense of order and structure. This attention to detail is characteristic of Seurat's style, which would later become more refined in his famous painting "Bathers at Asnières".
Look closely at the brushstrokes used for the water - long, horizontal strokes that give the impression of movement and fluidity. In contrast, the riverbank and foliage are rendered with choppier strokes, adding texture and depth to the scene.
One interesting aspect of this painting is how it anticipates Seurat's later development of pointillism. Although he hadn't yet perfected his technique at this stage, you can see glimpses of it in the juxtaposed dabs of colour in the lower-right foreground.
See it in person
A River Bank (The Seine at Asnières) hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
