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Paul Gauguin
The paintings of Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) abound with color, sensuality and the sumptuousness of nature. Equally as colorful are the details of his life. Gauguin epitomized the artist as rebel and the dramatic character of his life is almost as spectacular as his art.
Gauguin was born in Paris, but grew up in Lima, Peru. As a young man, he returned to France where he worked as a stockbroker from 1872 until 1883, when he began to paint full-time. In 1891, he went to Tahiti, a place that affected him deeply and thus had a profound effect on his art. From then until his death, he lived in the South Pacific, returning to France only once. His most famous painting, Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? was painted in Tahiti in 1897.
While Gauguin’s paintings were in part a reaction against the naturalism of the Impressionists, they stand, most importantly, as the expression of a daring and original personality. He is considered a Post-Impressionist and one of the most important artists of all time.
Gauguin was born in Paris, but grew up in Lima, Peru. As a young man, he returned to France where he worked as a stockbroker from 1872 until 1883, when he began to paint full-time. In 1891, he went to Tahiti, a place that affected him deeply and thus had a profound effect on his art. From then until his death, he lived in the South Pacific, returning to France only once. His most famous painting, Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? was painted in Tahiti in 1897.
While Gauguin’s paintings were in part a reaction against the naturalism of the Impressionists, they stand, most importantly, as the expression of a daring and original personality. He is considered a Post-Impressionist and one of the most important artists of all time.
40 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2005
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September 9, 2017
Abound with color, sensuality and the sumptuousness of nature. Equally as colorful are the details of his life
Gauguin epitomized the artist as rebel and the dramatic character of his life is almost as spectacular as his art
Born in Paris, but grew up in Lima, Peru
Tahiti, a place that affected him deeply and thus had a profound effect on his art
His most famous painting, Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? was painted in Tahiti in 1897
Considered as Post-Impressionist and one of the most important artists of all time
Influenced by Cezanne, Degas and Van Gogh
The little strokes of color that animate the composition, depicting the vibrations of light
Reach beyond visible reality and bestow an indefinable symbolic dimension
Colors are laid on the canvas almost as if in a tapestry
Absence of spatial depth: attempt to negate realism
"Total abstraction" means distancing oneself from nature and the independence of the image from visible reality
Dream of losing himself in distant lands
Establish a rapport between Tahitian women and monumental figures in Egyptian murals
Make strong references to other cultures, especially ancient one
All I now want is silence, silence and more silence. Let me die in peace, forgotten
The meaning of many of Gauguin's work would remain obscure
Gauguin epitomized the artist as rebel and the dramatic character of his life is almost as spectacular as his art
Born in Paris, but grew up in Lima, Peru
Tahiti, a place that affected him deeply and thus had a profound effect on his art
His most famous painting, Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? was painted in Tahiti in 1897
Considered as Post-Impressionist and one of the most important artists of all time
Influenced by Cezanne, Degas and Van Gogh
The little strokes of color that animate the composition, depicting the vibrations of light
Reach beyond visible reality and bestow an indefinable symbolic dimension
Colors are laid on the canvas almost as if in a tapestry
Absence of spatial depth: attempt to negate realism
"Total abstraction" means distancing oneself from nature and the independence of the image from visible reality
Dream of losing himself in distant lands
Establish a rapport between Tahitian women and monumental figures in Egyptian murals
Make strong references to other cultures, especially ancient one
All I now want is silence, silence and more silence. Let me die in peace, forgotten
The meaning of many of Gauguin's work would remain obscure
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review