Horse and Boats 1883 - 1884

Georges Seurat painted this oil on canvas, Horse and Boats, around the 1880s in France. This little sketch gives us a glimpse into leisure activities in the late 19th century. What do we see here? There's the horse, of course, standing placidly in the water. Then there are the boats, filled with people enjoying a day out. And on the riverbank, figures recline in the grass, observing the scene. Think about the social context: this was a time of increasing industrialization and urbanization, and the rise of a middle class with disposable income and leisure time. This image then reflects a new kind of social life, a world of mass leisure, and a new style of painting to match it. It's a world that’s still taking shape. As art historians, we can use resources like historical records and social surveys to understand better the world that Seurat was depicting. What did leisure activities mean to people at this time? How did they participate? These are questions that help us interpret the art more deeply.