The artwork titled “Still Life with Sunflowers on an Armchair” was created by the artist Paul Gauguin in 1901 while he was in French Polynesia. This oil on canvas painting exemplifies the Post-Impressionism movement and is a still life. The dimensions of the artwork are 73 x 92 cm. Presently, the piece is housed at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
The painting features a vibrant and bold composition, typical of Gauguin’s style, incorporating a rich color palette and a synthesis of form and color, which rejects the naturalism of Impressionism. At the forefront of the artwork, a bouquet of sunflowers droops energetically from a container that seems to be placed onto an armchair, with a white cloth draped over it, providing a stark contrast to the intense yellows and greens of the flowers. In the background, there is a partial view of a figure looking to the side, marked by Gauguin’s use of flat areas of color and simplified forms. The color tones are earthy and intense, with deep yellows, greens, and blues dominating the piece. The brushwork varies in intensity, suggesting texture and depth, contributing to the dynamic and somewhat exotic feel of the artwork. The presence of the figure adds a narrative element and a human presence, which is not typical for the still life genre, thereby making this particular work unique and intriguing.
