Artwork
In the Waves (Dans les Vagues)
In the Waves (Dans les Vagues) is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin. It dates from 1895 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
No further details about brush handling, surface condition, or specific stylistic attributes are provided in the sources.
In the Waves (Dans les Vagues) is an oil painting on canvas executed by Paul Gauguin in 1889. The work measures 92.5 cm in height and 72.4 cm in width. Gauguin applied oil paint to a primed canvas support, a standard technique for his late‑period works.
No further details about brush handling, surface condition, or specific stylistic attributes are provided in the sources. The painting remains in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
The painting In the Waves (Dans les Vagues) was created by Paul Gauguin in 1889, as indicated by the artist’s date on the work itself and corroborated by museum records.
It entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art in 1978, accessioned as 1978.63, where it has remained in the museum’s holdings.
In the Waves (Dans les Vagues) is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is catalogued under the accession number 1978.63. The painting, executed in oil on canvas in 1889, entered the museum's holdings in 1978.
No prior exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
Overview
Created in 1895, In the Waves (Dans les Vagues) is an oil painting by Paul Gauguin, executed during the later phase of his Post‑Impressionist career. The work belongs to the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is displayed as an example of Gauguin’s exploration of color and form beyond the Impressionist idiom.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas depicts a solitary figure reclined on the water’s surface, arms outstretched, with a vivid red head contrasting against a pallid, softly blended torso. Surrounding the body, a dark green, undulating backdrop suggests rolling waves, evoking a sense of immersion and perhaps an ambiguous dialogue between humanity and the sea.
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Artist & collection
Artist
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.
