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Woman in Front of a Still Life by Cezanne by Paul Gauguin

Woman in Front of a Still Life by Cezanne

Paul Gauguin · 1890

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“This intriguing painting features a woman seated before a bold, almost life-sized copy of a still life by Cézanne, revealing Gauguin's deep engagement with another master's work.”

ABOUT THIS WORK

In this painting, a woman sits quietly, her gaze directed away from the viewer, while behind her, a vibrant still life bursts with color. The still life is not just any painting; it's a nearly life-sized rendition of Paul Cézanne’s Still Life with Fruit Dish, a work Gauguin owned and greatly admired. Notice how the composition feels intentionally flattened, almost as if the woman is tipping forward out of her chair, a stylistic choice that echoes Cézanne's own approach to rendering space. This painting offers a fascinating glimpse into Gauguin's artistic development, as he engaged deeply with the work of his contemporaries. It's possible this very painting was on Cézanne's mind when he famously accused Gauguin of "stealing his petite sensation," highlighting the complex relationship between these two influential artists.

DETAILS
Artist
Paul Gauguin
Date
1890
Medium
Oil on linen canvas
Location
Art Institute of Chicago
Dimensions
65.3 × 54.9 cm (25 11/16 × 21 5/8 in.); Framed: 82.9 × 73.4 × 10.5 cm (32 5/8 × 28 7/8 × 4 1/8 in.)
Collection
Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Culture
France
Credit line
Joseph Winterbotham Collection
ART MOVEMENTS
ImpressionismPost-ImpressionismSymbolism
LOOK CLOSER

What to Notice

Five details hide in plain sight. Pick one and we’ll show you exactly where to look.

Woman in Front of a Still Life by Cezanne

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01

The woman's face

Look at her pale, greenish face and sidelong stare. Her gaze drifts off to the side, which gives the portrait a guarded, private mood.

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02

Pink blouse and white collar

The blouse is built from blocks of rose, mauve and violet, with a cool white collar set against them. The color does the shaping, not smooth blending.

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03

Tipping forward

Her torso seems to press toward you because the space behind her is so shallow. The cluttered, tilted background and the bold outlines keep her close to the picture surface.

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04

Cezanne's fruit

The green and orange fruit on the right come from Cezanne's still life, which Gauguin once owned. He is paying homage to a painting he treasured.

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05

Signature and date

Near the lower right edge, just above the sitter's hand, Gauguin signed and dated the canvas ('P. Go' and '90'). It is easy to miss against the pale cloth.

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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 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 Mahana no atua (Day of the God) Mahana no atua (Day of the God) 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 Woman in Front of a Still Life by Cezanne 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 Madame Léon Clapisson Same era · 1870s–1900s Madame Léon Clapisson Léon-Victor Dupré · 1883 · Art Institute of Chicago After the Bullfight Same movement · Impressionism After the Bullfight Mary Cassatt · 1873 · Art Institute of Chicago Still Life with Crayfish Same era · 1870s–1900s Still Life with Crayfish Mikhail Larionov · 1900 · Museum Ludwig
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