Adopting Impressionism



On this very day in eighteen hundred forty eight

An artist-to-be was born in Paris, but started late

After a stay in Peru and a stint as a Merchant Marine

Gaugin became part of the Parisian stockbroker scene



But then packed it all in after meeting artist Camille Pissaro

And turned his focus to impressionism on the short and narrow

Which he then gave up under the influence of Emile Bernard

Creating his own style - synthetism ... which he used by the yard



Using as his inspiration - stained glass and Japanese prints

Which his friend Vincent Van Gogh showed him to convince

They had both been missing the boat with their work ...

And so, Gaugin sailed for the South Seas and its perks



Living in Tahiti and then the Marquesas - for the rest of his life

Gaugin finally evolved into an artist ... extraordinarily bright

... With his best work* now exhibited both here and in France

A bolder collection of paintings evolved into the Fauvist front



In which more vibrant solid colors and sharper lines

Replaced the soft, shimmering tones of impressionistic times

A style favored by many artists at the turn of the century

Of which Matisse had perhaps the most noted propensity



Carrying on the innovative and bolder coloring changes

Well into the nineteen hundreds as he became famous

For taking the movement begun with Gaugin and van Gogh

Well into another era ... starting a whole 'nother show ...



- Tristram



© Christopher W. Thomas

12:40pm Monday, June 7th, 1999



Some of Gaugin's Work



Tahitian Women/On the Beach (1891)

Musee d'Orsay - Paris



Spirit of the Deadwatching (1892)

Albright-Knox Art Gallery



Where Do We Come From?

What Are We? Where Are We Going?

(1897) Museum of Fine Arts - Boston