Mandolin on a Chair
- Original dimensions
- 31.2 x 47.3 cm
- Museum
- Menard Art Museum
- Year
- 1880
Scene depicted
This canvas , emblematic of Gauguin's style, features a mandolin delicately placed on a wooden chair, enveloped by soft and warm light. The composition evokes an atmosphere of serenity, where each element tells a story – that of a suspended moment, reflecting the thoughts and daydreams of the artist. This painting thus becomes an open window into the intimacy of an artist, allowing the viewer to escape into a harmonious world.
Historical context
Created in 1880, this painting embodies the dynamic artistic life of Pont-Aven, in Brittany. Paul Gauguin , a central figure of post-impressionism , captures the light of a time when contemporary art sought an original path, far from strict conventions. The canvas , now preserved at the Menard Art Museum , measures 31.2 x 47.3 cm and embodies a precious moment of the artistic movement that redefined the aesthetic vision of the 19th century.
Place in the artist's career
“Mandoline sur une chaise” is situated at a turning point in Gauguin's career, as he explores the interplay of light and color. This canvas is part of a series of works with vibrant tones, rivaling “Vision after the sermon” and “The dreamers.” Each of these paintings reflects Gauguin's stylistic evolution, moving from a naturalism close to plein air to a more emotional and symbolic expression.
Anecdote
“Art is not in theory but in what the heart feels,” said Gauguin. It was in the morning softness of a Breton spring, at the turn of a sunlit alley, that he found inspiration for this masterpiece . The painting “Mandoline sur une chaise” is both a tribute to the intimacy of everyday life and a reflection on the simple beauty of the objects that surround us.