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Head of a Cow [recto]

Paul Gauguin

1886

graphite

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Head of a Cow [recto] is a 1886 graphite 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 two quick, loose drawings of a cow’s head and a hand holding a small object. The lines are light and shaky, almost like a hurried note. The paper is plain, with no background details—just the shapes and a few faint strokes. The artist focused on rough shapes over detail, which makes the drawings feel alive but unfinished. These sketches were likely practice for bigger works. Next, look up Realism to see how artists used simple forms to tell stories.

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