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Four Heads and Two Figures [verso]

Paul Gauguin

1886

crayon

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Four Heads and Two Figures [verso] is a 1886 crayon 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 four heads and two standing figures drawn in quick, loose lines. The figures wear simple clothes—one has a hat, another a cap—and their poses look casual, almost like quick notes. The paper is plain, with no background details, just the faint marks of the artist’s crayon. The lines are rough and uneven, as if Gauguin was testing ideas fast. This style fits his early work before he became famous. Look up Gauguin, Paul to see how his sketches changed over time.

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