Abandoned garden in Rouen 1884

Paul Gauguin made this painting in oil on canvas titled "Abandoned garden in Rouen." Gauguin applied layers of oil paint with brushes to build up texture and depth. His distinctive post-impressionist style involved expressive brushwork and the mixing of colors on the canvas itself, and in this case, it has an undeniable rawness to it. There is an evident immediacy to the artist's technique, with gestural marks conveying the scene's mood rather than its literal appearance. Gauguin's choice of subject matter reflects a departure from traditional academic art. Rather than depicting grand historical events or idealized landscapes, he chose to capture the everyday reality of a neglected garden. This focus on the ordinary, combined with his expressive use of materials, challenges conventional hierarchies within the art world. Gauguin elevates the mundane through the act of painting itself, inviting viewers to appreciate the beauty and complexity of the world around them, even in its most overlooked corners.