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The Life of Paul Gauguin Essay

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The Life of Paul Gauguin

Paul Gauguin was born in Paris on June 7th, 1848. His childhood was filled with radical beliefs and a libertarian lifestyle. In fact, his own father Clovis Gauguin was a republican journalist by trade, whose own writings were criticized for their radicalism and eventually forced the family into exile in 1849. With no stable source of income due to his father’s death, the family established residency in Peru, a decision made in accordance to his mother’s Peruvian descent. At age seventeen, Gauguin decided to enter into the French merchant navy. After a six year stint on the seas, Gauguin returned to Peru. His mother then died in 1867, and he was sent to live with Gustave Arosa, a wealthy art …show more content…

It is only in this period that he abandoned his imitative style and truly developed his own unique style. Although disparaging in its own right, it was the financial crisis in 1882 that caused Gauguin to renounce his financial background to fully devote his time to painting. Inspired by Camille Pissaro, Gauguin embraced the life of a painter with zealousness. Together, they quickly acclimated to the Impressionist school of thought. Indeed, his “style of broken rhythmical brushwork, and interest in texture and color” (Expo.com) closely correlated to the style of the Impressionists. In 1887, Gauguin chose to leave France for Panama with his close friend Charles Laval in order to explore additional artistic venues. After his return to Brittany in 1888, he established a relationship with Vincent Van Gogh, who would become an important influence over his painting techniques.

Van Gogh filled Gauguin with a confidence that he had never before portrayed in his art. It is through his new found mentor that Gauguin was able to “develop beyond impressionism” and find inspiration in “literature, non-western forms of art, and new models and locations” (Marijke, Meer). Although separated when Van Gogh set out for Arles, their frequent contact eventually led Gauguin to move to Arles and work with Van Gogh. It is there that the “Studio of the South” was

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