Emil Gauguin as a Child, Head on a Pillow

Emil Gauguin as a Child, Head on a Pillow is an intimate and early drawing by Paul Gauguin, created between 1875 and 1876. This piece utilizes black crayon on paper to capture the stillness and vulnerability of the artist's eldest son, Emil, who was born just a year or two prior to the sketch.

At the time of this creation, Gauguin was still primarily working as a successful stockbroker in France and had yet to commit fully to his artistic career. These domestic studies, often depicting his wife Mette or his children, were crucial for the developing artist, allowing him to practice techniques absorbed from the burgeoning Parisian art scene, particularly the Impressionists with whom he was beginning to associate.

The medium of black crayon emphasizes line, contour, and subtle tonal modeling. Gauguin focuses intensely on the structure of the sleeping child’s face, illustrating the soft curves of the cheek resting against the pillow and the quiet weight of sleep. Unlike his later, highly saturated Post-Impressionist paintings, this work showcases Gauguin’s skill in traditional draftsmanship and realist representation. As an early example of his hand, this Drawing provides essential context for his evolution away from realism toward Symbolism.

This historically significant work resides in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. As many works by the French master enter the public domain, studies like this, detailing Gauguin’s personal life and technical foundation, become widely available for scholars and enthusiasts seeking reproductions and high-quality prints.