Haystacks in Brittany

Haystacks in Brittany is an oil on canvas painting created by Paul Gauguin in 1890. This work is a crucial example of Gauguin’s French Post-Impressionist output during the critical years between 1876 to 1900, a period defined by his move away from Impressionism toward a more personally expressive, decorative style known as Synthetism. Having returned to Brittany, Gauguin sought out subjects that represented an unspoiled, pre-industrial existence, using the rural environment as a catalyst for emotional and symbolic expression.

The painting features massive conical haystacks dominating a simplified landscape. Gauguin treats the familiar agrarian subject with his characteristic rejection of naturalistic color and academic perspective. Instead, he utilizes flat, unmodulated areas of saturated color enclosed by thick, dark contours, a technique derived partly from Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints and medieval stained glass. The overall effect is one of structure and pattern rather than observational realism. The simplified forms and the intense, subjective palette emphasize the spiritual and emotional resonance Gauguin sought to draw from the Breton peasants and their connection to the land.

This canvas perfectly encapsulates Gauguin's innovative approach just before his departure for Tahiti, demonstrating his commitment to the principles of Symbolism, where the artist’s inner vision dictates the representation of reality. The importance of the work is underscored by its inclusion in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art. As a major contribution to late nineteenth-century modernism, this artwork is frequently studied, and high-quality prints of the piece are widely available, often through digitized public domain collections, ensuring global access to Gauguin's impactful stylistic legacy.