Eugene Henri Paul Gauguin was born in
Paris, France. His father was a journalist, Clovis Gauguin, and his mother was
half-Peruvian Aline Maria Chazal.
1851 the family left Paris for Peru
because of the political changes. His father died on the voyage. His mother,
sister and Paul went to live with his uncle and his family in Lima, Peru. This
period influenced Paul later on in his art.
When he was seven the family returned
to France and lived with his grandfather. He learned French and was an
excellent scholar. When he was 17 he became a pilot's assistant in the merchant
marine to do his military service. After three years he joined the navy where
he spent two years.
1871 he went to Paris and was
employed as a stockbroker.
1873 Gauguin met a Danish woman,
Mette-Sophie Gad. They married and had five children in ten years. The
stockbrokers crash in 1883 made Gauguin give up his secure job and turned
painter full time.
Ever since he was a child, he loved
art. He visited galleries and bought painting from upcoming artist. He became
friend with Camille Pissario and met other famous artists. When he became more
known, he rented a studio. 1881-1882 he held an impressionists exhibition.
During the summer holiday he painted with Camille Pissario and sometimes with
Paul Cezanne. During this time he decided to break away from Impressionism. He
used colour in broad and flat instead of dabs and swirls.
In 1884 he and his family moved to
Copenhagen because of his career as a stockbroker. However, his longing to
paint made him move back to Paris and left his family in Copenhagen. Without
enough financial support his wife and five children moved in with her family.
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MADAM GAUGIN |
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| STILL-LIFE |
Gauguin always longed to paint in the
primitive style which made him move abroad to find a more natural and truthful
way of living. In 1887 he first visited Panama and lived there for seven months
near Saint Pierre in Martinique. He stayed with his friend the artist Charles
Laval. To begin with the 'Negro hut' where they lived in and enjoyed watching
the people in their daily way of life was fascinating to him. The problem began
when the hut was too hot in the summer and the roof was leaking. He became ill
with dysentery and marsh fever. During his stay he made about 10-12 paintings.
In Martinique he travelled widely and came across a small group of Indian
immigrants. They were influencing his art greatly, later on.
Gauguin, Eille Bernard, Charles
Laval, Emilie Schuffenecker and many others of his friends visited the artist’s
colony of Pont-Aven in Brittany. Where their bold colours and Symbolist choice
of subject matter, they are now named as Pont-Aven School.
Paul Gauguin also suffered like
Vincent van Gogh of depression. He also attempted suicide. In 1888 Paul Gauguin
spent nine weeks with Vincent van Gogh in Arles, painting. He realized that the
European paintings were too much of copying and no symbolic depth. The African
and Asian art are on the other hand were with mystery and vigour. There was a
period in Europe that pointed to other cultures, especially Japan was
appreciated.
In 1889 Paul Gauguin went to an
exhibition held by Les XX.
Gauguin began to be interested in
Folk art and Japanese prints. His style of painting move towards Cloisonnism.
Emillie Bernard also explored this way of painting which is flat and bold
outlines. Gauguin was fascinated with the style of Bernard's art. The symbolic
of style is to show and to express the object. A fine example is the
painting 'The Yellow Christ' in 1889 which was a great Cloisonnists work. The
painting shows pure colour and with black outlines.
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| THE YELLOW CHRIST 1889 |
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| TAHITIAN WOMEN ON THE BECH 1881 |
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| RIDERS ON THE BEACH |
Gauguin did not employ the classical
perspective and subtle blends of colour which was so characteristic of the
Post-Renaissance. Later he changed to Synthetism where form or colours are not
dominant to each other.
Gauguin loved primitivism and this
made him go abroad to find a natural way of living. The last twelve years,
he spend his time in Tahiti, Marquesas Islands and short stays in
Paris. He loved the South Sea Islands because they inspired him. He developed
the characteristic style of flat, frieze-like paintings which may have been
influenced by the ancient Egyptian art.
In 1891 Gauguin sailed to the
tropics. He was completely disappointed that he could not get recognition for
his work. Not to mention, financially broke. He was trying to find a place
where he could live off the land and paint at the same time. His paintings show
more and more the primitive style. On arrival in Panama he got
employed building the Panama Canal but was dismissed after two weeks.
He lived in the Mataiea village in
Tahiti and during his stay he painted 'Fatata te Miti' (By the sea), 'la Orana
Maria (Ave Maria) and other scene of Tahiti's life style
In 1897 he went to Punaauia where he
painted a masterpiece 'Where Do We Come From' and for the rest of his life he
lived in the Marquesas Islands. However, he did return to France once more and
has painted a Pont-Aven.
When he stayed in Polynesia he
painted mostly religious themes and exotic view of the inhabitants. He lived
with the native people and opposed the colony authority and Catholic Church. He
also wrote a book 'Avant et Apress (before and after). A collection of
observation of Polynesian life, memories of his life, comments of literature
and paintings.
1903 Due to a confrontation with the
church and authorities he received a prison sentence for three months
and had a fine. During this time, the art dealer Ambroise Vollard helped him.
He died before he had to start his prison sentence. He was only 54 years old.
He died on 8 March 1903 and was buried in Calvary Cemetery on the Marquesas
Island, French Polynesia.
Gauguin final years were overshadowing
by illness and poverty. However, he never gave up on his believe of his
artistic abilities. He wrote to his wife, 'I am a great artist and I know it.
It is because I am that I have endured such a lot”.
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