Still Life: Wood Tankard and Metal Pitcher

"Still Life: Wood Tankard and Metal Pitcher" by Paul Gauguin (French, 1848–1903), painted in 1880, is an early and conventional example of the artist's mastery of the oil on linen canvas medium. Created during a period when Gauguin was still transitioning from a stockbroker to a full-time artist associated with the Impressionist circle in Paris, this painting demonstrates a disciplined focus on rendering texture and light through traditional subject matter. The composition features two common domestic vessels, a simple, dark wood tankard and a highly reflective metal pitcher, placed on an indeterminate surface, emphasizing the materiality of the objects rather than anecdotal narrative.

Unlike the symbolic intensity and bold color that would define his later career in Tahiti, this work reflects Gauguin’s immediate indebtedness to established French still-life tradition. The handling of the paint is precise, demonstrating a sensitivity to the varying surface qualities. Gauguin carefully contrasts the matte, porous appearance of the wooden container with the smooth, cool highlights caught on the curved surface of the metal pitcher. This intense study of light and shadow, relying on strong tonal contrasts, emphasizes three-dimensional volume, suggesting a solid academic foundation beneath his evolving style.

While executed years before his major stylistic breakthroughs, this canvas provides crucial insight into the artist’s foundational years before he fully embraced Post-Impressionism. The careful attention to form and structure here foreshadows the simplified planes and expressive contours that characterized his mature output. Today, the painting is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As a key document of this influential artist’s development, this work is frequently studied; high-quality images and prints derived from public domain sources help ensure its continued visibility and scholarly importance.