In 1959, Riley’s copy of Seurat’s The Bridge at Courbevoie (1886–87) offered the artist a new understanding of colour and tone, which led her to produce her first major works of pure abstraction during the early 1960s.
This volume accompanies an exhibition at The Courtauld Gallery, London (17 September 2015–17 January 2016) that presents Riley’s paintings with this key work by Seurat in the museum’s collection. Brought together for the first time, it demonstrates a ‘shared preoccupation with perception’ at pivotal points throughout three decades of Riley’s career.
Alongside full-colour illustrations, it includes an introductory text by Karen Serres and Barnaby Wright, an interview with the artist by Éric de Chassey, as well as two essays written by Riley that offer her insights on Seurat’s importance to her own practice.