The artwork titled “Vase of Flowers” was created by the artist Paul Gauguin in 1886, in France. This oil on canvas piece epitomizes the Post-Impressionistic style and belongs to the still life genre. Currently, it is held in a private collection. The essence of Post-Impressionism, an era that followed Impressionism and preferred symbolic content, vivid color, and distinct form, is captured within this work.
The artwork showcases a vase with a bouquet of flowers, depicted with bold colors and expressive brushstrokes that convey the natural beauty and vibrancy of the blooms. Gauguin employs a rich palette with a dominance of pinks, reds, yellows, and greens, reflecting the artist’s tendency towards the use of symbolic color rather than strict realism. The background and table surface are rendered with a more subdued palette, allowing the flowers to stand prominently at the forefront of the composition. The flowers themselves are not highly detailed but instead are represented with a degree of abstraction. This painting illustrates Gauguin’s transition from the Impressionist influence to a more symbolist approach, which would later become more pronounced in his oeuvre. The strokes and colors blend together to create a sense of depth and texture, capturing the essence of the flowers rather than their meticulous botanical details.
