Head of a Man with a Study of His Back; Various Sketches with a Peasant Woman and a Goose [recto]

1884-1888

Paul Gauguin

Associated Names
Paul Gauguin

Artist, French, 1848 - 1903

The image shows a series of faint pencil sketches on two adjacent panels, resembling a sketchbook. On the left panel, there are lightly drawn outlines of faces – one appearing to be a man and another a woman. The faces are partially sketched and appear unfinished. The right panel features various small sketches, including a person's profile from the shoulders up, a simplistic figure with outstretched arms next to a small animal, and a couple of abstract or partially formed shapes resembling heads and faces. The sketches are simplistic with minimal detail, created using light, feathery lines. The background is plain, with the off-white paper of the sketchbook. The two panels are bordered with a thin line, providing structure to the open sketchbook format.

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    graphite and crayon on wove paper

  • Credit Line

    The Armand Hammer Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall: 16.9 x 22.5 cm (6 5/8 x 8 7/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1991.217.56.a

  • Series Title

    Breton Sketchbook, No. 16

Associated Artworks

The image contains a two-panel sketch. The left panel shows a sketched outline of a draped piece of fabric. The right panel features sketches of two human faces and a partial figure. The top sketch shows a person with stylized facial features, with their hand resting on the side of their face. Below is another sketch of a person with facial hair and a hand on their face. Next to these sketches is an unfinished outline of a figure or object. The composition is on a plain, light paper with faint darker strokes, enclosed in a simple frame.

A Grazing Cow; Head of a Woman with Her Hand on Her Cheek, and Head of a Man with His Hand on His Ear [verso]

Paul Gauguin

1884


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Henri Mahaut, Cherbourg, purchased before World War I; Private Collection, USA; Armand Hammer Collection, Los Angeles, 1967; gift to NGA 1991

Associated Names

Exhibition History

2017

  • Gauguin: Artist as Alchemist, The Art Institute of Chicago; Galeries nationales du Grand Palais, Paris, 2017-2018.

Wikidata ID

Q64619008

You may be interested in

Loading Results