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Two Studies of a Child's Head; Two Studies of a Child's Head, a Woman in Profile, and a Man Wrestling an Animal [recto]

Paul Gauguin

1886

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Two Studies of a Child's Head; Two Studies of a Child's Head, a Woman in Profile, and a Man Wrestling an Animal [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 sketchbook page shows quick, loose drawings of faces and figures. On the left are two views of a child’s head—one turned slightly away, the other in profile—with rough, swirling lines for hair. On the right, a child’s face looks straight ahead, surrounded by smaller sketches of heads and a tiny scene of a person wrestling an animal. The artist used pen and ink, layering lines to build up shadows and texture. The faces feel alive despite the simplicity, like snapshots of real moments. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build depth with just 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