A Person Holding an Umbrella and a Seated Man with a Hat and a Glass [verso]

"A Person Holding an Umbrella and a Seated Man with a Hat and a Glass [verso]" is a nuanced drawing executed by Paul Gauguin between 1884 and 1888. This piece, rendered primarily in crayon on wove paper, showcases Gauguin’s dedicated exploration of line and form during a critical transitional phase of his career. Classified as a drawing, the work reflects the intimate studies and sketch-like observations common among French artists working in this pivotal late 19th-century period.

The composition is dual-focused, reflecting its designation as a verso study, where the artist utilizes both sides of the sheet for independent sketches or compositional ideas. One segment captures a standing figure holding an umbrella, perhaps suggesting a spontaneous street scene or observation of the bustling modern environment. The adjacent scene depicts a seated man, easily recognizable by his distinct hat and the presence of a glass, strongly implying a café or interior setting typical of Parisian social life during this era.

Gauguin’s selection of crayon on wove paper allows for a delicate yet defined rendering of contours, focusing less on the Impressionistic pursuit of light and color, and more on structural arrangement and the spontaneous depiction of the figures. This observational approach precedes Gauguin’s pivotal move toward Symbolism and his extended journeys outside of Europe, making it a valuable document of his earlier draftsmanship.

The work offers crucial insight into the French art culture of the period spanning 1876 to 1900, where artists often documented modern social encounters in preparatory works. This important piece reflecting Gauguin’s draftsmanship is held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. As an influential study, the work frequently inspires specialized prints and related scholarly material, and imagery of the drawing is often available for educational public domain use.