Named as one of the Met’s most captivating masterpieces since 1960, Seurat’s Circus Sideshow will carry the theme of the exhibition. This exhibition will focus on the Parade de cirque (Circus Sideshow) era of the early 19th century in France. A time where sideshows became a place for all classes to observe the oddities. 

The exhibition is centred around two painting and sixteen drawings by Seurat. His most famous painting “ Circus sideshow: is one of six large paintings completed before his death in 1891, at 31. It is the only piece that takes place outdoors at night and displays the honest interpretation of the street side show. Surrounding Seurat are scores of sideshow paintings by other artists, famous and completely unknown. In addition to art, there are a collection of newspaper clippings, illustrated journals, books, postcards, documented materials and even musical instruments from the sideshow era.

Works from Honore Daumier will be shown as well as Paul Signac, Seurat’s companion in color theory. There will be a cast of younger artists who where influenced by Seurat and his techniques: Pablo Picasso, Pierre Bonnard, Lucien Pissarro and the American Maurice Prendergast.

The exhibition will be held at The Met Fifth Avenue from February 17th to May 29th 2017