Artwork Interpretation-Serenity

This is called Grandcamp, Evening, by Georges-Pierre Seurat.  Instead of clearer strokes, it's painted with a series of dots.  When zoomed in, it seems completely random, but from a normal perspective it all comes together. The colors are relatively natural and blend well.  It seems to take place on the outside of a port city, from the docks in the background and the sailboat.  The sky is cloudy, the sea is calm, and there is a town in the background.  The sea is a bright turquoise.

I think this picture takes place in the past, based on the style of the buildings.  I think it may be somewhere on the Mediterranean, or in Europe, because of the color of the sea and the plants on the side.  The clouds in the sky may symbolize a coming storm, to shake up this peaceful city,  but I think they are too neutral looking for that.  It seems to be, all in all, a calm image.  Even the fact that its painted with small dots rather than precise lines adds to the serenity of the painting- the blended overlapping colors give it a peaceful and hazy look.  It seems to be summer, with the plants in full bloom, the water calm, the sky relatively clear, and one boat lazily drifting through the harbor.

I think Georges-Pierre Seurat painted this from real life. With this style of painting, its very hard to accurately draw something you aren't looking at.  The way he did this- capturing the image, that is-gives it the impression of a sleepy little town on the water.  An almost magical effect, really.  The border seems to emphasize its realism.  The way he captured the sunlight on the water and the bushes is very well done.  In all, this has no particularly strong message, but more of an overall feeling of contentment.