Bouquet of flowers 1882

Paul Gauguin made this painting of a "Bouquet of flowers" with oil on canvas. It's a traditional material, but note how he’s used it: look at the very evident brushstrokes. He hasn't tried to make it look like a photograph. You can really see the individual strokes of the brush on the canvas. Oil paint offers a certain amount of viscosity and texture. Gauguin exploits those qualities here, building up the surface of the flowers to a palpable thickness. It’s as if the painting is trying to become a low relief sculpture. The social significance of this painting lies in its departure from academic painting styles. Gauguin was intentionally rejecting that approach, moving towards a more direct and expressive form of art making. It's a rebellion against the polished art world of his time, a turn toward something more raw and personal. In looking closely at the material, we get a glimpse into Gauguin’s radical artistic project.