Head of a Tahitian with Profile of Second Head to His Right

Head of a Tahitian with Profile of Second Head to His Right by Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903 is a powerful example of the artist's exploratory draftsmanship during his foundational years in French Polynesia. Created between 1891 and 1893, this drawing utilizes black and red chalk, selectively stumped, on cream wove paper, showcasing the technical precision underlying his Post-Impressionist sensibility.

Gauguin employed careful stumping—a technique of blending the chalk—to achieve subtle shading and volumetric effects, particularly visible in the central figure's strong contours and focused expression. The dual study depicts a prominent Tahitian head viewed frontally, juxtaposed with the faint, quickly sketched profile of a second head emerging from the right. This arrangement suggests the artist was conducting rapid observational studies, a common practice in his preparatory work for later iconic paintings and prints. The deliberate use of two colors of chalk highlights the forms, allowing Gauguin to differentiate between anatomical structure (black) and the subtle warmth of the subject's skin tone (red).

This piece belongs to the critical period following Gauguin’s first arrival in Tahiti, where he sought a radical artistic and cultural departure from Europe. The influence of his time in France and his subsequent shift toward non-Western subjects are clearly visible in the emotional depth conveyed by the figures. This essential work of French art history is held in the renowned collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As many of Gauguin’s seminal drawings and studies have entered the public domain, high-quality prints and academic assessments of the artist's unique preparatory methods are utilized globally for scholarly research.