The square pond 1884

Editor: Today we’re looking at Paul Gauguin’s “The Square Pond,” painted in 1884. It’s an oil painting, and the setting is so tranquil; I can almost hear the gentle breeze rustling the leaves. The light reflecting off the water gives such a sense of peace. How do you interpret the scene? Curator: That serenity you pick up on, that’s exactly it. For me, the charm lies in its unassuming intimacy, its capturing of a quiet moment in nature. But think about Gauguin’s path: already hinting at the artistic explorations that would eventually pull him toward Brittany and, famously, Tahiti. Do you notice how he captures the scene 'en plein air', directly from nature? Editor: Yes, you can definitely see the freshness in the brushstrokes. It really brings the scene to life. Was he consciously rebelling against academic painting at this point, or was this more of an experiment with capturing light? Curator: I like the way you phrase that; "rebellion," perhaps not in a combative sense. Look at how Gauguin tilts the composition slightly upward, so that the pond sits below eye level. This forces a shift in perspective away from realism toward more interpretive planes, allowing a personal truth, not just surface appearance, to radiate from within. Almost as if the square pond is the portal to another dimension, the other places he goes… Editor: That's fascinating. It's like he's setting the stage for his later, more radical departures. Curator: Exactly. This image gives us an unassuming space – the ‘square pond,’ if you will – from which his distinct voice would one day echo. Now that's an impressive notion. What will your "square pond" be? Editor: Thanks, I will think about it! It's been enlightening. I’m starting to see Impressionism as much more than just pretty landscapes.