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A Profile and Four Shapes; Sketch of a Man's Head [recto]

Paul Gauguin

1886

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

A Profile and Four Shapes; Sketch of a Man's Head [recto] is a 1886 ink by Paul Gauguin, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Paul Gauguin
When & what style?: 1886 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows simple, rough drawings on light paper. On the left, there’s a side view of a head and four odd, blocky shapes. The right side has a tall, thin figure and some handwritten numbers and place names like "Vernmouth" and "Copenhagen." The lines are loose and uneven, made with crayon and ink. The numbers might be measurements or prices—maybe Gauguin was testing ideas for bigger works. The handwriting looks quick, like he was jotting down notes while drawing. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build shading with crisscrossed lines.

About the artist

Artist

Paul Gauguin

Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin (; French: ; 7 June 1848 – 8 May 1903) was a French painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramist, and writer, whose work has been primarily associated with the Post-Impressionist and Symbolist movements.

See the richer artist page