The clog-maker 1888

Editor: Here we have "The Clog-Maker," an 1888 oil painting by Paul Gauguin. I’m immediately struck by the use of color – it's quite earthy, but also has a vibrant undercurrent. What do you see in this piece, beyond the surface level? Curator: It’s interesting you picked up on the earthiness. For me, Gauguin's choice to depict a rural craft like clog-making, particularly during a period of rapid industrialization, reads as a deliberate statement. The focus on labor, specifically the labor of the peasantry, situates this work within a larger sociopolitical discourse about the value, or lack thereof, afforded to rural communities in the late 19th century. How does it strike you in relation to identity and social class? Editor: I hadn’t considered it that way. I was focusing more on the aesthetic, but now I see the potential commentary. The clog-maker is positioned so that we can’t see their face, almost like they're an anonymous representation of the working class. Curator: Precisely! And think about the act of making. Clogs, traditionally, were worn by peasants. So, the artisan is both creating a practical object and reinforcing their own identity through labor. Doesn't the impasto technique almost reinforce a grounded, perhaps even stubborn relationship with tradition and place? The paint is so thickly applied that the work and life feel physically inseparable, rooted together. Editor: That makes sense. The visible brushstrokes also add to the rawness of the image, giving it a sense of immediacy, which adds more weight to this idea of rural work being demanding. It also gives off the impression that the scene was captured from life as it unfolded. I'll definitely look at Gauguin's other works with a new set of lenses! Curator: Indeed, recognizing how these formal elements intersect with social and historical contexts allows us to appreciate art not just as an aesthetic experience, but as a complex dialogue. There’s so much embedded in this single image, once you move beyond a passive relationship.