Five Pieces of Fascinating Art from Paul Gauguin
A French Post-Impressionist, Synthetist, and Symbolist
Introduction:
Paul Gauguin was a French painter, printmaker, and sculptor known for his relationship with Vincent van Gogh and for his contribution to art history. Gauguin was an essential figure in the Symbolist movement, and greatly influenced the avant-garde artistic developments of the 20th century. In the final years of Gauguin’s life during his self-imposed exile, Gauguin laid the foundation for Primitivism through his brilliant portrayal of Tahitian culture. Gauguin’s artistic style included bold colors, expressive brushstrokes, and a use of exaggerated body proportions.
For the rest of the article, we will explore some of Gauguin’s most notable works!
Art Piece #1 Vision After the Sermon (Jacob Wrestling with the Angel) (1888)
At the time, Gauguin admired Japanese prints and Cloisonne enamels and took great inspiration from them. This is evident in this painting of Breton women, which reminds the viewer of the Bible scene Jacob Wrestling with the Angel.
Art Piece #2 The Yellow Christ (1889)
A notable work from Symbolism, Gauguin painted the Yellow Christ based on a wooden crucifix from Tremolo Chapel. Christ is depicted in a cloying yello against a dark cross in a canvas filled with vivid landscape. Interestingly, the color yellow was chosen since Gauguin wanted to convey his isolated life with the peasants (peasants can be seen kneeling in the photo).
Art Piece #3 When Will You Marry? (1892)
When Gauguin arrived in Tahiti in 1890, he was determined to immerse himself in the culture and continue with his artistic endeavors. In the painting above, a young woman can be seen in traditional dresses. The ideals of primitive art are emphasized, as the women seem to be blended into the landscape.
Art Piece #4 Where do We Come From? What Are We? What Are We Going? (1897)
Perhaps Gauguin’s most famous painting, the scene of the painting is one of a tropical landscape occupied by native women and children. Through this depiction, Gauguin presents a pessimistic view of the inevitability of the life cycle as he struggles with mental health. At the right is infancy, in the middle, the prime of youth is picking fruit off a tree, and finally at the left, an old woman is contemplating the inevitabilities of death.
Art Piece #5 Nevermore (1897)
In this painting, Gauguin was inspired by Manet’s Olympia and created a reclining nude painting of his own. The presence of a raven is also noted as a reference to Edgar Allan Poe’s 1845 poem “The Raven”.
“I wanted to make a simple nude suggest a certain barbaric splendor of times gone by. The whole painting is bathed in colors that are deliberately somber and sad. Neither silk nor velvet, neither batiste nor gold creates this splendor, but simply paint enhanced through the artist’s skill. (Paul Gauguin)”
“For a title, Nevermore; not ‘The Raven’ of Edgar Poe, but a bird of the devil who watches. (Paul Gauguin)”
