Paul Gauguin direction. Paul Gauguin

He was a successful entrepreneur and in a few years managed to amass a large fortune, which would be enough to provide for his entire family - his wife and five children. But at one point this man came home and said that he wanted to exchange his boring financial work for oil paints, brushes and canvas. Thus, he left the stock exchange and, carried away by what he loved, was left with nothing.

Now the post-impressionist paintings of Paul Gauguin are valued at more than one million dollars. For example, in 2015, the artist’s painting entitled “When is the wedding?” (1892), depicting two Tahitian women and a picturesque tropical landscape, was sold at auction for $300 million. But it turned out that during his lifetime the talented Frenchman, like his colleague, never received the recognition and fame he deserved. For the sake of art, Gauguin deliberately doomed himself to the existence of a poor wanderer and exchanged a rich life for undisguised poverty.

Childhood and youth

The future artist was born in the city of love - the capital of France - on June 7, 1848, at that troubled time when the country of Cézanne and Parmesan was faced with political upheavals that affected the lives of all citizens - from unremarkable merchants to large entrepreneurs. Paul's father, Clovis, comes from the petty bourgeoisie of Orleans, who worked as a liberal journalist in the local newspaper National and scrupulously covered the chronicles of government affairs.

His wife Alina Maria was a native of sunny Peru, grew up and was brought up in a noble family. Alina’s mother and, accordingly, Gauguin’s grandmother, the illegitimate daughter of the nobleman Don Mariano and Flora Tristan, adhered to the political ideas of utopian socialism, became the author of critical essays and the autobiographical book “The Wanderings of the Party.” The union of Flora and her husband Andre Chazal ended sadly: the would-be lover attacked his wife and went to prison for attempted murder.

Due to political upheavals in France, Clovis, worried about the safety of his family, was forced to flee the country. In addition, the authorities closed the publishing house where he worked, and the journalist was left without a livelihood. Therefore, the head of the family, along with his wife and small children, went on a ship to Peru in 1850.

Gauguin's father was filled with good hopes: he dreamed of settling in a South American country and, under the auspices of his wife's parents, founding his own newspaper. But the man’s plans failed to come true, because during the journey Clovis unexpectedly died of a heart attack. Therefore, Alina returned to her homeland as a widow along with 18-month-old Gauguin and his 2-year-old sister Marie.

Paul lived until the age of seven in an ancient South American state, the picturesque mountainous outskirts of which excite the imagination of any person. Young Gauguin was an eye-catcher: at his uncle’s estate in Lima, he was surrounded by servants and nurses. Paul retained a vivid memory of that period of childhood; he recalled with pleasure the boundless expanses of Peru, the impressions of which haunted the gifted artist for the rest of his life.

Gauguin's idyllic childhood in this tropical paradise came to an abrupt end. Due to civil conflicts in Peru in 1854, prominent relatives on her mother's side lost political power and privileges. In 1855, Alina returned to France with Marie to receive an inheritance from her uncle. The woman settled in Paris and began to earn her living as a dressmaker, while Paul remained in Orleans, where he was raised by his paternal grandfather. Thanks to perseverance and work, in 1861 Gauguin’s mother became the owner of her own sewing workshop.

After several local schools, Gauguin was sent to a prestigious Catholic boarding school (Petit Seminaire de La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin). Paul was a diligent student, so he excelled in many subjects, but the talented young man was especially good at French.

When the future artist turned 14 years old, he entered the Parisian naval preparatory school and was preparing to enter the naval school. But, fortunately or unfortunately, in 1865 the young man failed the exams at the selection committee, so, without losing hope, he hired a ship as a pilot. Thus, young Gauguin set off on a journey across boundless expanses of water and throughout his time traveled to many countries, visited South America, the Mediterranean coast, and explored the northern seas.

While Paul was at sea, his mother died of illness. Gauguin remained in the dark about the terrible tragedy for several months, until a letter with unpleasant news from his sister overtook him on his way to India. In her will, Alina recommended that her son pursue a career, because, in her opinion, Gauguin, due to his obstinate disposition, would not be able to rely on friends or relatives in case of trouble.

Paul did not contradict his mother’s last wishes and in 1871 he went to Paris to begin an independent life. The young man was lucky because his mother's friend Gustave Arosa helped the 23-year-old orphaned guy get from rags to riches. Gustave, a stockbroker, recommended Paul to the company, due to which the young man received the position of broker.

Painting

The talented Gauguin succeeded in his profession, and the man began to have money. Over a ten-year career, he became a respectable man in society and managed to provide his family with a comfortable apartment in the city center. Like his guardian Gustave Arosa, Paul began to buy paintings by famous impressionists, and in his free time, inspired by the paintings, Gauguin began to try his talent.

Between 1873 and 1874, Paul created the first vibrant landscapes that reflected Peruvian culture. One of the young artist’s debut works, “Forest Thicket in Viroff,” was exhibited at the Salon and received rave reviews from critics. Soon the aspiring master met Camille Pissarro, a French painter. Warm friendly relations began between these two creative people; Gauguin often visited his mentor in the northwestern suburb of Paris - Pontoise.

The artist, who hated social life and loved solitude, increasingly spent his free time drawing pictures; gradually the broker began to be perceived not as an employee of a large company, but as a gifted artist. Gauguin's fate was largely influenced by his acquaintance with a certain original representative of the impressionist movement. Degas supports Paul both morally and financially, buying his expressive paintings.

In search of inspiration and a break from the bustling capital of France, the master packed his suitcase and set off on a trip. So he visited Panama, lived with Van Gogh in Arles, and visited Brittany. In 1891, remembering a happy childhood spent in his mother’s homeland, Gauguin left for Tahiti, a volcanic island whose vastness gives free rein to his imagination. He admired the coral reefs, dense jungles where juicy fruits grow, and the azure seashores. Paul tried to convey all the natural colors he saw on the canvases, due to which Gauguin’s creations turned out to be original and bright.

The artist observed what was happening around him and captured what he observed with a sensitive artistic eye in his works. So, the plot of the film “Are you jealous?” (1892) appeared before Gauguin's eyes in reality. Having just bathed, two Tahitian sisters lay down in relaxed poses on the shore under the scorching sun. From the girl’s dialogue about love, Gauguin heard discord: “How? Are you jealous!". Paul later admitted that this painting is one of his favorite creations.

In the same 1892, the master painted the mystical canvas “The Spirit of the Dead Does Not Sleep,” made in dark, mysterious purple tones. The viewer sees a naked Tahitian woman lying on a bed, and behind her a spirit in a dark robe. The fact is that one day the artist’s lamp ran out of oil. He struck a match to illuminate the space, thereby frightening Tehura. Paul began to wonder if this girl could take the artist not for a person, but for a ghost or spirit, which the Tahitians are very afraid of. These mystical thoughts of Gauguin inspired him with the plot of the picture.

A year later, the master painted another picture called “Woman Holding a Fruit.” Following his style, Gauguin signs this masterpiece with a second, Maori, title Euhaereiaoe (“Where are [you] going?”). In this work, as in all of Paul’s works, man and nature are static, as if merging together. This painting was originally purchased by a Russian merchant; currently the work is located within the walls of the State Hermitage. Among other things, the author of The Sewing Woman in the last years of his life wrote the book NoaNoa, published in 1901.

Personal life

In 1873, Paul Gauguin proposed marriage to the Danish woman Matte-Sophie Gad, who agreed and gave her lover four children: two boys and two girls. Gauguin adored his first-born Emil, who was born in 1874. Many of the master’s paintings of brushes and paints are decorated with the image of a serious boy, who, judging by the works, was fond of reading books.

Unfortunately, the family life of the great impressionist was not cloudless. The master’s paintings were not sold and did not bring in the income they once had, and the artist’s wife was not of the opinion that heaven was in the hut with her dear one. Due to the plight of Paul, who could barely make ends meet, quarrels and conflicts often arose between the spouses. After arriving in Tahiti, Gauguin married a young local beauty.

Death

While Gauguin was in Papeete, he worked very productively and managed to paint about eighty canvases, which are considered the best in his career. But fate prepared new obstacles for the talented man. Gauguin failed to gain recognition and fame among admirers of creativity, so he plunged into depression.

Because of the dark streak that came in his life, Paul attempted suicide more than once. The artist’s state of mind gave rise to poor health; the author of “A Breton Village in the Snow” fell ill with leprosy. The great master died on the island on May 9, 1903 at the age of 54.

Unfortunately, as often happens, fame came to Gauguin only after his death: three years after the death of the master, his canvases were put on public display in Paris. In memory of Paul, the film “The Wolf on the Doorstep” was made in 1986, where the role of the artist was played by the famous Hollywood actor. The British prose writer also wrote a biographical work, “The Moon and a Penny,” where Paul Gauguin became the prototype for the main character.

Works

1880 – “Sewing Woman”
1888 – “Vision after the Sermon”
1888 – “Cafe in Arles”
1889 – “Yellow Christ”
1891 – “Woman with a Flower”
1892 – “The spirit of the dead does not sleep”
1892 - “Oh, are you jealous?”
1893 – “Woman Holding a Fruit”
1893 – “Her name was Vairaumati”
1894 – “The Evil Spirit’s Fun”
1897–1898 – “Where did we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?"
1897 – “Never Again”
1899 – “Collecting fruits”
1902 – “Still Life with Parrots”

Eugene Henri Paul Gauguin is one of the largest French representatives of post-impressionism along with Van Gogh and Cezanne. He was engaged in painting, graphics, and was also a sculptor. He participated in various exhibitions, was not popular among his contemporaries, and was appreciated much later.

Gauguin was a beggar all his life, and now one of his paintings is competing for the title of the most expensive in the world. This talented artist was born on June 7, 1848, his death occurred on May 8, 1903.

Childhood and early years

The future artist was born in Paris. His mother was French-Peruvian and came from a wealthy family. Gauguin's father worked as a political journalist and was obsessed with some radical Republican ideas. At the same time, my mother considered the model of utopian socialism to be the most correct; she even wrote an autobiographical book on this topic.

In 1849, the Paul family set foot on a ship bound for Peru. There they intended to stay until the end of their days, living in the wealthy family of the mother of the future artist. But these plans were unsuccessful, as Clovis, Gauguin's father, died of a heart attack. The young man and his mother moved to Peru, where Paul lived until he was seven years old, enjoying the views of exotic nature and a carefree existence.

At the age of seven, Alina, the creator’s mother, decides to return to France in order to receive her paternal inheritance. There the boy learns French and shows extraordinary abilities in all subjects. He made an attempt to enter the naval school, but did not pass the competition. As a result, young Paul sets off on a circumnavigation of the world as an apprentice pilot. Upon arrival in India, he learned about the death of his mother, who bequeathed him to build a career.

The creator's first works

In 1872, the artist returned to Paris, where he received the position of stock exchange broker, thanks to the connections of a friend of his mother. On the side, he was engaged in photography and collecting modern paintings; this was one of the impetuses for Gauguin’s future career.

In 1873, Paul began to create his first landscapes. Then he makes acquaintance with Camille Pissarro, and subsequently they will be united by a strong friendship. Both artists were fond of impressionism, they participate in exhibitions and are gradually gaining authority among collectors.

A sharp paradigm shift

In 1887, Gauguin decided to get rid of the privileges of civilization, so he went on a trip to Panama and Martinique. But some physical illnesses forced the creator to return to Paris. A year later, together with his friend Emile Bernard, he put forward an original synthetic theory of art. They drew people's attention to unnatural colors, light and planes.

The theory of symbolism impressed people, so Paul was able to sell more than thirty of his works. The painter spent the proceeds on a trip to Tahiti, where he lived modestly, constantly being creative. At the same time, he wrote an autobiographical novel.

The last years of the painter

The year 1893 was marked by Gauguin's return to France. He shared several more works with the public, but this did not help restore his former popularity; Paul earned very little money. After this, he again headed towards the southern seas, where he continued to paint.

In recent years, the artist suffered not only from syphilis, he was tormented by mental anguish. In 1897, he tried to commit suicide, but he failed to complete the matter. Six years later, Paul Gauguin died on the island of Hiva Oa.

Family and personal life

In 1973, Paul married a young Danish woman, and a little later the first child was born in their family. In just a few years, five children were born, whom Gauguin recklessly abandoned at the age of 35, because he decided to devote his life entirely to art.

Now the artist’s paintings are extremely popular among both collectors and ordinary connoisseurs. He brought a certain novelty to art, abandoning the traditional principles of naturalism in favor of abstraction and symbols. Paul Gauguin created each painting in his own way, without paying attention to the canons and rules.

His canvases are imbued with a sense of mystery; rich colors attract the eye again and again. In addition to painting, the artist was engaged in woodcut printing, created several pottery works, wrote his own autobiography and left behind many stunning paintings. After his death, Somerset Maugham wrote his version of the biography of the creator, which became extremely popular.

The contradictory character of the French post-impressionist artist Paul Gauguin and his unusual fate created a special new reality in his works, where color plays a dominant role. Unlike the Impressionists, who attached significance to shadows, the artist conveyed his thoughts through a restrained composition, a clear outline of figures and colors. Gauguin's maximalism, his rejection of European civilization and restraint, increased interest in the cultures of the islands of South America alien to Europe, the introduction of the new concept of “synthetism” and the desire to find a sense of heaven on earth allowed the artist to take his special place in the art world of the late 19th century.

From civilization to overseas countries

Paul Gauguin was born on June 7, 1848 in Paris. His parents were a French journalist, an adherent of radical republicanism, and a mother of French-Peruvian origin. After an unsuccessful revolutionary coup, the family was forced to move to their mother’s parents in Peru. The artist’s father died of a heart attack during the journey, and Paul’s family lived in South America for seven years.

Returning to France, the Gauguins settled in Orleans. Paul quickly became tired of the unremarkable life of a provincial town. Adventurous character traits led him to a merchant ship, and then to the navy, in which Paul visited Brazil, Panama, the islands of Oceania, and continued his travels from the Mediterranean to the Arctic Circle until he left the service. By this time, the future artist was left alone, his mother had died. Gustave Aroz took guardianship over him, and he employed Paul in a stock exchange firm. A decent income and success in a new field should have predetermined the life of a wealthy bourgeois for many years.

Family or creativity

At the same time, Gauguin met the governess Mette-Sophia Gard, who accompanied the wealthy Danish heiress. The governess's curvaceous figure, determination, laughing face and manner of speaking without deliberate timidity captivated Gauguin. Metta-Sophia Gad was not distinguished by sensuality, did not recognize coquetry, she behaved freely and expressed herself directly, which distinguished her from other young people. This repulsed many men, but on the contrary, it captivated the dreamer Gauguin. In self-confidence, he saw an original character, and the girl’s presence drove away the loneliness that tormented him. Metta seemed to him like a patroness, in whose arms he could feel as calm as a child. The offer of the wealthy Gauguin relieved Mette of the need to think about her daily bread. On November 22, 1873, the marriage took place. This marriage produced five children: a girl and four boys. Paul named his daughter and second son in honor of his parents: Clovis and Alina.

Could the young wife have thought that her wealthy, respectable life would be broken by the innocent brush of an artist in the hands of her husband, who one winter day would announce to her that from now on he would only engage in painting, and she and her children would be forced to return to relatives in Denmark.

From impressionism to synthetism

For Gauguin, painting was the path to liberation, the stock exchange was irretrievably lost time. Only in creativity, without wasting time on hated responsibilities, could he be himself. Having reached a critical point, having quit the stock exchange, which brought in a good income, Gauguin became convinced that everything was far from so simple. The savings melted away, the paintings did not sell, but the return to work on the stock exchange and the abandonment of the newfound freedom horrified Gauguin.

Uncertainly, gropingly, moving blindly, Gauguin tried to grasp the world of colors and shapes raging within him. Under the influence of Manet, at this time he painted a number of still lifes and created a series of works on the theme of the coast of Brittany. But the pull of civilization forces him to go to Martinique, participate in the construction of the Panama Canal, and recover from swamp fever in the Antilles.

The works of the island period become unusually colorful, bright, and do not fit into the framework of the canons of impressionism. Later, having arrived in France, Gauguin in Pont-Aven united artists into the school of “color synthetism,” which was characterized by simplification and generalization of forms: the outline of a dark line was filled with a spot of color. This method gave the works expressiveness and at the same time decorativeness, making them very bright. It was in this manner that “Jacob Wrestling with the Angel” and “The Cafe in Arles” (1888) were written. This was all significantly different from the play of shadows, the play of light breaking through the foliage, the highlights on the water - all those techniques that are so characteristic of the impressionists.

After the failure of the exhibition of impressionists and "synthetics", Gauguin leaves France and goes to Oceania. The islands of Tahiti and Dominic fully corresponded to his dream of a world devoid of signs of European civilization. Numerous works of this period are distinguished by open solar brightness, conveying the rich colors of Polynesia. Techniques for stylizing static figures on a color plane turn compositions into decorative panels. The desire to live according to the laws of primitive man, without the influence of civilization, was stopped by a forced return to France due to poor physical health.

Fatal friendship

Gauguin spends some time in Paris, Brittany, and stays with Van Gogh in Arles, where a tragic incident occurs. Gauguin's enthusiastic admirers in Brittany unwittingly gave the artist the opportunity to treat Van Gogh from the position of a teacher. Van Gogh's exaltation and Gauguin's maximalism led to serious scandals between them, during one of which Van Gogh rushes at Gauguin with a knife and then cuts off part of his ear. This episode forces Gauguin to leave Arles and after some time return to Tahiti.

Looking for heaven on earth

A thatched hut, a remote village and a bright palette in the works, reflecting tropical nature: sea, greenery, sun. The canvases of this time depict Gauguin’s young wife, Tehura, whom her parents willingly gave in marriage at the age of thirteen.

A constant lack of money, health problems, and a serious venereal disease caused by promiscuous relationships with local girls forced Gauguin to return to France again. Having received an inheritance, the artist returned to Tahiti again, then to the island of Hiva Oa, where in May 1903 he died of a heart attack.

Three weeks after Gauguin's death, his property was inventoried and auctioned off for next to nothing. A certain “expert” from the capital of Tahiti simply threw away some of the drawings and watercolors. The remaining works were bought at auction by naval officers. The most expensive work, “Motherhood,” went under the hammer for one hundred and fifty francs, and the appraiser generally showed “Breton Village in the Snow” upside down, giving it the name… “Niagara Falls.”

Post-Imresionist and innovator of synthetism

Along with Cezanne, Seurat and Van Gogh, Gauguin is considered the greatest master of post-impressionism. Having absorbed his lessons, he created his own unique artistic language, introducing into the history of modern painting the rejection of traditional naturalism, taking abstract symbols and figures of nature as a starting point, emphasizing striking and mysterious color weaves.

When writing the article, the following literature was used:
“Illustrated Encyclopedia of World Painting”, compiled by E.V. Ivanova
“Encyclopedia of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism”, compiled by T.G. Petrovets
“The Life of Gauguin”, A. Perruch