Portrait of a Young Girl Vaité Goupil
- Original dimensions
- 65 x 75 cm
- Museum
- Ordrupgaard
- Year
- 1896
Scene depicted
The painting “Portrait of a Young Girl Vaité Goupil” depicts a young girl with a deep and wise gaze, captivating every observer. In an intimate atmosphere, her finely painted features reveal a simple, almost timeless beauty, inviting contemplation. It is a frozen moment, testifying to innocence and purity, and a tribute to youth blossoming within nature.
Historical context
Created in 1896, this painting finds its essence in the town of Pont-Aven, Brittany, at the heart of the post-impressionist movement. Paul Gauguin , in search of colors and forms, rises above the artistic conventions of his time to create this pictorial work. Currently, the canvas resides in the Ordrupgaard museum, watching over its striking dimensions of 65 x 75 cm.
Place in the artist's career
This painting marks a turning point in Gauguin's career as he explores bold palettes and stylized forms. Positioned between “Vision After the Sermon” and “The Decadents,” this canvas reveals the evolution of his artistic language, oscillating between impressionism and symbolism . The painting testifies to a stylistic maturity while foreshadowing his future innovations.
Anecdote
“True beauty lies in the authenticity of feelings,” Gauguin is said to have remarked when referring to this canvas . Imagine a clear morning, where golden light weaves through the branches of trees, revealing a face of infinite softness. This painting is the fruit of a suspended moment, an ephemeral encounter, where beauty leaps to the eye and imprints itself in the artist's soul.
Major exhibitions
Impressionist Treasures