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The Hibiscus Tree (Te Burao) by Paul Gauguin

The Hibiscus Tree (Te Burao)

Paul Gauguin · 1892

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“This painting invites you into a lush Tahitian scene, where a vibrant hibiscus tree frames daily life, showcasing Gauguin's distinctive use of bold color and simplified forms to evoke a sense of spiritual harmony.”

ABOUT THIS WORK

In "The Hibiscus Tree (Te Burao)," a vibrant hibiscus tree dominates the canvas, its bright red blossoms drawing the eye. This painting captures a moment of serene tropical life, featuring figures engaged in daily activities beneath its shade. The bold, flattened forms and vivid colors are characteristic of the Synthetist style, where the artist emphasized emotional truth over strict realism. Notice how the figures are integrated into the landscape, becoming part of the overall decorative pattern. The scene offers a glimpse into Gauguin's vision of Tahiti, a place he sought for its perceived unspoiled nature and spiritual depth, a stark contrast to the European society he left behind.

DETAILS
Artist
Paul Gauguin
Date
1892
Location
Art Institute of Chicago
ART MOVEMENTS
ImpressionismPost-ImpressionismSymbolism
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What to Notice

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The Hibiscus Tree (Te Burao)

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01

Fallen hibiscus tree

Tangled, broken limbs sprawl across the foreground, and the title points to this fallen hibiscus as the subject. Gauguin paints the wreckage in long, curling shapes of olive, rust and orange.

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02

The dark dog

A small dark dog walks behind the fallen branches, right of center. It is easy to miss, and it is the only animal in the scene.

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03

The curving black branch

A thin black branch arcs across the middle, pulling your eye from the big trunk on the left toward the fallen tree at right.

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04

Distant standing figure

At the far right edge, a dark figure stands near the thatched roofs. Tiny against the trees, it suggests a village just out of view.

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05

Pink petals and red ribbon

Bright pink patches and a long, winding reddish line snake across the pale ground, adding odd bursts of color to the sandy foreground.

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THE ARTIST

Paul Gauguin

1848–1903 · France

Paul Gauguin, the French Post-Impressionist, abandoned a stockbroker's life for art, famously seeking 'refuge from Western civilization' in Tahiti.

Read Gauguin’s full story
MORE FROM THIS ARTIST

Further Works by Gauguin

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Still Life: Wood Tankard and Metal Pitcher Still Life: Wood Tankard and Metal Pitcher 1880 · Art Institute of Chicago Two Tahitian Women in a Landscape Two Tahitian Women in a Landscape 1887 · Art Institute of Chicago Arlésiennes (Mistral) Arlésiennes (Mistral) 1888 · Art Institute of Chicago Woman in Front of a Still Life by Cezanne Woman in Front of a Still Life by Cezanne 1890 · Art Institute of Chicago Te raau rahi (The Big Tree) Te raau rahi (The Big Tree) 1891 · Art Institute of Chicago Te burao (The Hibiscus Tree) Te burao (The Hibiscus Tree) 1892 · Art Institute of Chicago Merahi metua no Tehamana (Tehamana Has Many Parents or The Ancestors of Tehamana) Merahi metua no Tehamana (Tehamana Has Many Parents or The Ancestors of Tehamana) 1893 · Art Institute of Chicago Aha oe feii? (What! Are You Jealous?) Aha oe feii? (What! Are You Jealous?) 1894 · Art Institute of Chicago
EXPLORE THE MOVEMENT

More from Symbolism

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Beata Beatrix Beata Beatrix Rossetti · 1877 · Birmingham Museums Trust Potted Plant Potted Plant Munch · 1881 · Munch Museum Lozenge Composition with Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, and Gray Lozenge Composition with Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, and Gray Mondrian · 1921 · Art Institute of Chicago Portrait of a Lady in a High Hat Portrait of a Lady in a High Hat Klimt · 1882 · Art Institute of Chicago
KEEP EXPLORING

More works to explore

Beyond Gauguin and Symbolism: works from the same years, and from the other movements The Hibiscus Tree (Te Burao) belongs to.

Equestrienne (At the Cirque Fernando) Same movement · Post-Impressionism Equestrienne (At the Cirque Fernando) Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec · 1887 · Art Institute of Chicago A Woman Walking in a Garden Same era · 1870s–1900s A Woman Walking in a Garden Vincent van Gogh · 1887 · Frans Buffa & sons Carmelina Same movement · Post-Impressionism Carmelina Henri Matisse · 1903 · Museum of Fine Arts Boston A Sunday on La Grande Jatte — 1884 Same era · 1870s–1900s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte — 1884 Okada Saburosuke · 1884 · Art Institute of Chicago The Old Guitarist Same movement · Post-Impressionism The Old Guitarist Pablo Picasso · 1903 · Art Institute of Chicago Still Life with Crayfish Same era · 1870s–1900s Still Life with Crayfish Mikhail Larionov · 1900 · Museum Ludwig After the Bullfight Same movement · Impressionism After the Bullfight Mary Cassatt · 1873 · Art Institute of Chicago Madame Léon Clapisson Same era · 1870s–1900s Madame Léon Clapisson Léon-Victor Dupré · 1883 · Art Institute of Chicago
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