The artwork titled “Petit Breton arranging his shoe, or Landscape at Pont-Aven, Brittany” was created by the renowned artist Paul Gauguin in 1888, during his time in Pont-Aven, France. This Post-Impressionist piece is rendered in oil on canvas and measures 90.5 x 71 cm. It is a genre painting that can be viewed at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The artwork portrays a serene yet vibrant scene set in the countryside of Brittany. In the foreground, a young Breton boy is caught in a moment of stillness, diligently fastening his shoe. His form crouches in the lush grass dotted with small blooms, enhancing the sense of intimacy in this mundane act. Beyond the boy, a loosely-brushed backdrop unfolds made up of slender trees that seem to sway gently, guiding the viewer’s eye through the composition. The trees act as natural columns, creating a rhythmic interplay of vertical lines, which contrast with the horizontal bands of color that suggest fields and open space in the middle distance.
The color palette Gauguin employs is rich and somewhat muted but filled with patches of vivid reds, greens, and earth tones, which may reflect the changing hues of nature in this rural setting. The use of color is instrumental in conveying the atmosphere and the character of the landscape, a signature feature of Gauguin’s post-impressionist style. The brushwork is visibly textured, adding a tactile dimension to the artwork.
Gauguin’s technique captures an essence of rural life in Brittany while simultaneously exploring the characteristics of form and color that were of great importance to Post-Impressionists. The work balances a snapshot of everyday life with a contemplative composition, inviting viewers to ponder the infusion of the subject’s personal narrative within the expansive beauty of the natural landscape.
