Pere Jean's Path 1885

Paul Gauguin made 'Pere Jean's Path' using oil paint on canvas sometime in the 1880s. Gauguin applied the paint in a thick impasto, creating texture and depth. You can see the individual brushstrokes, the result of repetitive and meticulous labour, building up the image. The effect is a vibrant surface that shimmers with light and color, capturing the essence of the path. The artist uses non-traditional paint application techniques to build a visceral experience for the viewer. The choice of oil paint as a medium speaks to Gauguin's interest in the craft of painting as a form of personal expression. He was part of a wave of artists interested in rejecting academicism for direct, felt experience. So even a seemingly straightforward landscape carries an important message about the value of the hand, and the importance of artistic freedom.