Seurat's Circus Sideshow

The mystery, color, and magic of the circus was a subject of fascination for European artists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The French Post-Impressionist painter Georges-Pierre Seurat (1859-1891) explored this theme in a number of drawings and sketches, as well as in his 1888 Pointillist masterwork, *Circus Sideshow*. Drawing connections to Parisian street life, to the works of other artists, and to the broader complexities of modern life, this lively book establishes *Circus Sideshow* as a pioneering work in the genre of circus-themed art. Lush reproductions of the work are buttressed by images of Seurat's preparatory drawings and ephemera from circuses and street performances of the time to offer a full understanding of the historical context.

Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University Press

**Exhibition Schedule:** **The Metropolitan Museum of Art** (02/15/17-05/29/17)