Clovis, le fils de l’artiste 

Curator: Here we have a portrait, a pencil drawing entitled "Clovis, le fils de l’artiste", or "Clovis, the artist's son", attributed to Paul Gauguin. What strikes you initially? Editor: A soft focus, almost like a faded memory. The sketchy quality makes it feel intimate, immediate. There's a vulnerability there, something almost tender in the way those faint lines capture a child's face. It's definitely not the bombastic Gauguin of Tahiti that everyone expects. Curator: Exactly! While perhaps not as iconic, it showcases another side of Gauguin’s artistry, moving away from symbolic landscapes towards the intimate portrayal of family. Consider that in many cultures, the image of a child represents potential, innocence, and a promise of continuation. The sketchiness, as you called it, also serves to indicate its function possibly as preparation for a larger, painted work, offering a unique insight into his process. Editor: It’s interesting, isn’t it? We're so used to thinking of the artist wrestling with these profound, existential ideas. But here he's just dad. Trying to capture his kid, wrestling with those tiny features, the way their faces shift and change. It’s oddly grounding. The absence of vibrant colour also affects our reading – stripping it back to the essence of observation and interpretation. Curator: I agree. This work also brings up broader questions about fatherhood, and artistic legacy. This tender depiction provides a poignant look into the life of an artist known for often turbulent personal relationships. Clovis, as his son, might represent a future he yearns to shape or immortalize through art. There's a lot to unpack. Editor: Absolutely. It reminds you that even artistic giants are also just people. They have family, they have anxieties, and sometimes they just want to sketch their kid’s face. This drawing’s unassuming simplicity opens up all those bigger, more complicated stories. Curator: It’s a great testament to the fact that great art is found even in what might initially appear simple. An intriguing glimpse of Gauguin as a man. Editor: A quiet sketch speaking volumes!