Four Heads and Two Figures [verso]

The drawing Four Heads and Two Figures [verso] by Paul Gauguin, created between 1884 and 1888, offers a raw glimpse into the artist’s evolving aesthetic during a crucial transitional phase of his career. Executed primarily in crayon on wove paper, the medium highlights the spontaneity and exploratory nature of the work. This piece belongs to the period designated as 1876 to 1900, a time characterized by Gauguin’s increasing disillusionment with Impressionism and his decisive move toward Synthetism, utilizing line and simplified color fields to express underlying emotional or symbolic reality.

The composition itself, noted as a verso drawing, suggests that it was executed rapidly on the back of another sheet, perhaps as a series of unrelated preparatory sketches or studies. The subject matter features multiple overlapping human forms, specifically four distinct studies of heads alongside two figures. These figures are rendered with dynamic, expressive lines, lacking the refinement of a finished portrait but brimming with the urgency of initial conceptualization. This method of rapid notation and stylistic simplification aligns with Gauguin’s growing interest in primal forms and non-Western art traditions, a preoccupation that would lead to his later travels and celebrated Polynesian works.

As a significant example of French graphic art from the late nineteenth century, this work resides in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. The existence of drawings like this allows scholars to trace the genesis of the artist’s more famous motifs and compositional strategies. While these intimate drawings are sometimes overshadowed by his major canvases, they are integral to understanding Gauguin’s process during the Post-Impressionist era. Due to the historical importance of the piece, high-quality digitized prints of the work are often made available through public domain initiatives, ensuring that this key example of Gauguin’s early drawing practice is accessible for study and appreciation worldwide.