Gauguin

Paul Gauguin is a famous French artist , sculptor, printmaker, ceramist, and writer. Gauguin was born in Paris on June 7, 1848 to Clovis Gauguin and Alina Maria Chaza. Gauguin’s father died when he was 18-months old, en route to Peru which left only his mother to care for him and his sister. For help, Alina moved in with her brother, Paul’s uncle, in Lima. This is the area that most influences Gauguin’s writings. When Paul turned seven, the family returned to Paris and lived with his grandfather. Gauguin attended mostly private schools in Paris. In 1871, Paul landed a job as a stockbroker. For the next eleven years he remained a successful businessman.

In 1873, during his free time, Gauguin began to paint. In 1882, the stock market fell and the art market grew smaller. He began losing a lot of money, so he decided to become a full time artist. He became friends with other painters and they painted every Sunday. In  1888, he spent time painting with Vincent van Gogh. Their relationship deteriorated and they parted ways after van Gogh confronted Gauguin with a razor blade. He later cut off his ear.

His bold experimentation with color led directly to the development of modern art. Gauguin's work became more appreciated shortly after his death on May 8, 1903. Paul Gauguin’s work became more popular due to its color and synthetist style. Many think of Paul Gauguin as a key figure in the symbolist movement. It is said that the use of color in his painting paved a way of modern art.