Paul Gauguin began painting while working in finance and later devoted himself to art. He worked in France and subsequently in the Pacific, seeking alternatives to European academic naturalism. His work is associated with expressive color, broad areas of paint and symbolic subjects. His life and treatment of people in colonized communities require careful historical consideration.
Bible Artist
Paul Gauguin
Gauguin used symbolic color and simplified forms to place Christian imagery within a modern artistic language.
Dates: 1848–1903
Nationality: French
Born: Paris, France
Died: Atuona, Hiva Oa, French Polynesia
Also known as: Eugene Henri Paul Gauguin
Biography
Artistic Style
Post-Impressionism; Symbolism; expressive color
Biblical Art Significance
In The Yellow Christ, the Crucifixion is placed within a Breton landscape. Its startling color and simplified forms make the image less a reconstruction of the Gospel event than a meditation on its continuing significance.
Notable Works
- The Yellow Christ
- The Green Christ
- Vision after the Sermon
More Information
Research Sources
<p>Museum and institutional artist catalogues; consult linked reference for verification.</p>