Gauguin’s Chair 1888

Vincent van Gogh painted Gauguin’s Chair in the late 1880s, using oil on canvas. Here we see a humble wooden chair, the kind made by the millions in the 19th century as industrialization took hold. Van Gogh has described it carefully, observing the way that the light catches the smooth, turned surfaces. We see the woven rush seat, the books, and the candle placed on top. Though he is known as a painter, here Van Gogh shows his appreciation for the anonymous makers who produced everyday objects such as this chair. It’s telling that he associated this particular object with his friend Gauguin. Perhaps he admired the chair's modest, functional design, or saw it as a symbol of domesticity and companionship. Van Gogh understood that even the simplest objects could be invested with profound meaning. He elevates craft and the everyday to the level of fine art.