Seated Tahitian Woman (related to the painting Te faaturuma [Reverie])

Seated Tahitian Woman (related to the painting Te faaturuma [Reverie]) by Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903 is a significant drawing created between 1891 and 1893. Executed primarily in charcoal on cream wove paper-which has since discolored to a tan hue-this study provides invaluable insight into the artist's preparatory methods during his first seminal sojourn to Tahiti. The work is classified as a drawing, demonstrating Gauguin's mastery of line and shadow before transitioning to the brilliant colors found in his finished paintings.

This composition is directly related to the oil painting Te faaturuma (Reverie), in which a similar figure is depicted in a state of deep contemplation. The French artist, Gauguin, sought subjects that moved away from the conventions of European academic painting, focusing instead on the psychological states and cultural motifs of the indigenous population. In this drawing, Gauguin uses bold outlines and subtle smudging to focus intensely on the structure of the body and the heavy drapery of the woman’s simple garment, emphasizing mass and volume. The resulting piece offers a raw, immediate record of the artist’s approach to composition.

This drawing marks a crucial stage in Gauguin’s Post-Impressionist development, blending classical European drawing traditions with newly observed Polynesian life. The detailed charcoal work allowed Gauguin to resolve the pose and architectural stability of the figure before committing to the final, highly stylized canvases for which he is renowned. While the original drawing resides within the distinguished Art Institute of Chicago collection, its importance means that high-quality prints and related studies are widely consulted by scholars and available through various public domain initiatives focused on 19th-century works.