Cail Factories and Quai of Grenelle 1875

Paul Gauguin made this oil painting, “Cail Factories and Quai of Grenelle,” with brushes and paint, typical materials for making art. But look at what he has chosen to depict. Not a beautiful landscape or a portrait, but a scene of industry, complete with belching smokestacks. The weight, texture, and form of the paint create an evocative mood. While Gauguin is celebrated as a post-impressionist painter, his choice of subject matter reflects the changing face of 19th-century society, one marked by labor, industrial production, and the rise of capitalism. While some artists ignored these developments, Gauguin confronted them head-on. By focusing on the places where things were made, he asks us to consider the relationship between art and the wider social context. It's a reminder that even the most beautiful paintings can have something to say about the world around them.