Who? Paul Gauguin (1848-1903), French, Post-Impressionist

What? The Siesta; oil on canvas (35 x 45 ¾”)

When? c. 1892 - 1894

Where is it now? The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC

Why is this artist/artwork important?

Gauguin was a leading Post-Impressionist painter, associated with the Symbolist movement (conveying moods and feelings through color and line) and not being dependent on what the artist sees in the natural world.

Background Information:

--Paul Gauguin was born in Paris in 1848. He spent his early years living in Peru and moved back to France when he was 7. He didn’t study art as a child. As an adult he worked as a stockbroker. When he was 31 years old, he started painting in his spare time.

--This was an exciting time to be an artist in Paris. Lots of new stuff was going on. Artists and writers gathered at cafes to discuss their ideas and were open to new thoughts.

--Gauguin started hanging out with the Impressionist painters. He learned from them and was invited to show his paintings at their shows. In 1883, he gave up his job as a stockbroker and devoted his time to art.

--During the 1880s, a lot of artists were turning away from the ideas of the Impressionists. They no longer wanted to make paintings showing modern themes (like the city) and went to the countryside to paint people and their customs that were unaffected by the changes of modern life.

--They also looked at different kinds of art from the past as a way of developing techniques that seemed to them untouched by modern ways of making art. These included stained glass windows and Japanese Prints.

--Inspired by these styles, Gauguin started painting scenes from small towns that featured large areas of flat color (no shading of light and dark to suggest shadows), clear outlines to the figures (like in stained glass). All of this was to look “primitive.” (ie. Old Women at Arles)

--Gauguin also became interested in the symbolic use of color. He felt that art did not have to look the way it looks in nature. It doesn’t have to be like a photograph. Gauguin said that artists should be able to use their imagination and dreams. For example, Gauguin would have said something like, “If I dream that I see a red horse, then I should be able to paint a horse red.” His painting, The White Horse (1898) is a good example of this.

--might ask them if they have ever seen a red horse in real like (not a cartoon). Artist’s quote: “I shut my eyes in order to see.” (Discuss: what did Gauguin mean when he said this?

--In 1891, he left his family (he had a wife and 5 kids) and set off for Tahiti in search of an even more exotic and “primitive” civilization to paint. It wasn’t as “unspoiled” a place as he imagined, but it was exotic.

--He stayed in the South Seas (Tahiti and the Marquesas Islands) for the rest of his life, returning occasionally to France to show his paintings. He died there in 1903. It was only after his death that his art became popular.

Discussion questions: The Siesta, 1892-4

--What does the title mean? What are the people doing (They are not all resting—there is a person ironing.

--What do you notice about the forms in this painting? Do they seem two dimensional (flat) or three-dimensional? Why? (Note the grass and background especially).

-What do you notice about the colors? Are they realistic? (It is a mixture, so they could point out both).

-Was the artist happy or sad while he was in Tahiti? How can you tell?

-Does this picture look posed or natural?

-What does the ethnicity of the subjects add to the painting? Do you think it was similar to the artist’s experiences in Paris at the time? Do you think this locale inspired him?

For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Gauguin http://www.ibiblio.org/

Books:

Jane Bingham, Art on the Wall: Post-Impressionism. Chicago, 2009. Project Ideas:

1) Escape from Civilization like Gauguin. Materials: large index card, pencil, colored pencils. On the plain side of the index card, the kids will draw a scene from their favorite “paradise” in the style of Gauguin – using solid forms, dark outlines and bright colors. On the back, write a postcard note to a friend describing something incredible about your trip.

2) Paint an island or vacation scene using bright colors. Try to convey a sense of warmth.

Comparative Images:

Gauguin in 1891

Gauguin, Old Women at Arles, 1888

Gauguin, The White Horse, 1898.