For this painting Seurat was inspired by the bustling nightlife of Paris. In the nightclubs women and men passionately dance the chahut or cancan, kicking their legs high up in the air. It is said that the artist used the leering man in the lower right hand corner to expose the hypocrisy of the upper middle class, who think this entertainment is outrageous.
Press A for more information on the painting, or press B for more information on Seurat’s working method.