Open full image Pin

Tahitian Heads

Paul Gauguin

1892

graphite

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Portrait

Dominant colour

Tahitian Heads is a 1892 graphite by Paul Gauguin, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Paul Gauguin
When & what style?: 1892 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows three quick, loose portraits of people’s heads. The lines are rough and fast, like a first try. One person wears a hat with a feather, another has a simple cap, and the third has short hair, drawn in just a few strokes. The faces look relaxed, almost like the artist was capturing them in a hurry. The paper is plain, and the graphite shading gives a soft, shadowy feel. If you like this style, look up Realism next.

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