Madame Alexandre Kohler

Madame Alexandre Kohler is an oil on linen painting created by Paul Gauguin during the crucial period of 1887-1888. This French work captures a period of transition as the artist moved away from Impressionism toward the structured clarity that would define his later career, anticipating the Synthetic style he would develop in Brittany and the South Seas.

Gauguin executed this piece during a period of significant artistic experimentation, coinciding with his brief but intense exploration of Pointillism. While the canvas does not adhere strictly to Divisionist techniques, it reflects his growing interest in solidity and expressive color, defining the era often categorized as Post-Impressionism and placing the work squarely within the 1876 to 1900 period of European art. The composition focuses on the seated figure, rendered with a simplified palette and definite contours, suggesting the shift away from fleeting light effects towards an emphasis on form and emotional resonance.

The treatment of oil on linen is robust yet restrained, emphasizing geometric structure over atmospheric haze. Unlike the broken brushwork favored by his Impressionist contemporaries, Gauguin uses broad areas of color and firm outlines to define volume and space. This technique imbues the portrait with a stark seriousness, moving the subject beyond mere depiction toward an internal, psychological representation.

As a key marker in the artist’s development, this painting is essential for understanding the foundations of Modernism. The work is housed within the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, where it contributes to the museum’s comprehensive holdings of nineteenth-century European masters. Due to the historical significance of Madame Alexandre Kohler, high-quality prints and references are frequently utilized by researchers, reflecting its importance within the public domain of late nineteenth-century French painting.