A Caricature and Five Forms; A Man in Profile, a Winged Creature and a Boy [verso]

The drawing A Caricature and Five Forms; A Man in Profile, a Winged Creature and a Boy [verso] by Paul Gauguin is a significant example of his exploratory sketchwork created between 1884 and 1888. Executed primarily in graphite on wove paper, this piece is doubly interesting due to its dual composition, featuring distinct imagery on both the recto and verso surfaces. Classified specifically as a drawing, this work documents the transitional period in Gauguin’s practice.

The date range places the drawing firmly within the 1876 to 1900 artistic period, documenting the French master’s development as he moved away from Impressionist techniques toward Symbolism and Post-Impressionism. Gauguin often used preliminary studies like this for developing ideas or practicing figure studies, utilizing the relatively inexpensive medium of graphite for rapid notation and conceptual development. The quick lines capture the artist's immediate observation and imagination during a crucial moment when he was redefining modern art.

The central focus of the verso is a collection of figurative studies, synthesizing diverse visual concepts. These include a pronounced caricature alongside a more classically rendered man in profile. The inclusion of a winged creature and the youthful figure of a boy suggests Gauguin's interest in combining mythological, symbolic, and observational elements. While the immediate purpose of these specific forms remains ambiguous, the expressive quality of the lines demonstrates Gauguin’s powerful draftsmanship and his commitment to synthesizing disparate visual information into new pictorial language.

This piece, which encapsulates Gauguin’s experimental energy during the late 19th century, is a fundamental example of his graphic output. Prints and reproductions of preliminary studies such as this offer valuable insights into his working methods. The work is held in the prestigious collection of the National Gallery of Art, providing crucial documentation of the artist's formative Post-Impressionist phase.