“This still life by Paul Gauguin uses bold outlines and vibrant, flattened colors to create a powerful, expressive image of flowers, marking a significant shift from Impressionism towards a more symbolic style.”
In "Anemones and anthemics in a vase," a vibrant bouquet bursts from a simple vessel, its colors almost vibrating against the muted background. The flowers, painted with a bold, almost flattened quality, showcase a distinct departure from the delicate brushwork of earlier Impressionist styles. Notice how the petals are outlined with strong, dark contours, a technique that gives them a stained-glass like appearance and emphasizes their form rather than their fleeting impression. This approach, known as Synthetism, was central to a new artistic language that prioritized emotional expression and symbolic meaning over strict naturalism. The scene is not just a study of flowers; it's a carefully constructed composition where color and line work together to create a powerful, almost abstract harmony. This work reflects a broader movement in art towards more subjective and expressive representations of the world, moving away from purely observational painting.
- Artist
- Paul Gauguin
What to Notice
Four details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

The strong, dark outlines defining each flower petal.
The way the colors of the flowers seem to vibrate against the background.
The flattened, almost two-dimensional quality of the bouquet.
The simple, unadorned vase holding the flowers.
Stand in front of it and listen
The full narration walks you through Anemones and anthemics in a vase — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.
Paul Gauguin
1848–1903 · FrancePaul Gauguin, the French Post-Impressionist, abandoned a stockbroker's life for art, famously seeking 'refuge from Western civilization' in Tahiti.
Further Works by Gauguin
The Seine at Pont de Grenelle
1875 · Wallraf–Richartz Museum
Still Life: Wood Tankard and Metal Pitcher
1880 · Art Institute of Chicago
The Little One Is Dreaming, Etude
1881 · Ordrupgaard
An Orchard under the Church of Bihorel
1884 · Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
Blue roofs of Rouen
1884 · Museum collection Am Römerholz
Evening Primroses in a Vase
1885
Fruit
1886
Stil life with white vase
1886 · Kunsthaus Zürich
More from Symbolism
More works to explore
Beyond Gauguin and Symbolism: works from the other movements Anemones and anthemics in a vase belongs to.
Same movement · Post-Impressionism
Olive Trees
Vincent van Gogh · 1853 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same movement · Impressionism
Young Spartan Girls Challenging Boys
Edgar Degas · 1860 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same movement · Impressionism
Alfred Sisley
Pierre-Auguste Renoir · 1864 · Foundation E.G. Bührle Collection
Same movement · Impressionism
Beggar with Oysters (Philosopher)
Édouard Manet · 1864 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same movement · Impressionism
The Banks of the Marne in Winter
Camille Pissarro · 1866 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same movement · Impressionism
The Beach at Sainte-Adresse
Claude Monet · 1867 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same movement · Post-Impressionism
Gustave Boyer (b. 1840) in a Straw Hat
Paul Cézanne · 1870 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same movement · Impressionism
The Pink Dress (Albertie-Marguerite Carré, later Madame Ferdinand-Henri Himmes, 1854–1935)
Berthe Morisot · 1870 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same movement · Impressionism
After the Bullfight
Mary Cassatt · 1873 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same movement · Impressionism
A Turn in the Road
Alfred Sisley · 1873 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same movement · Post-Impressionism
Equestrienne (At the Cirque Fernando)
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec · 1887 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same movement · Post-Impressionism
Carmelina
Henri Matisse · 1903 · Museum of Fine Arts Boston




