France, 19th century / 1891
Head of a Tahitian Woman
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Head of a Tahitian Woman as drawing (France, 19th century · 1891).
In his writings, Gauguin often referred to his drawings as "documents"—records of motifs and ideas he could use later.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this drawing as graphite with stumping and graphite wash on parchment and credits Paul Gauguin (French, 1848–1903).
The museum's collection notes: This drawing belongs to a group of highly finished portrait drawings of Tahitians made by Paul Gauguin shortly after his arrival in the South Seas. While getting used to this new place, Gauguin initially avoided painting, preferring first to familiarize himself with the landscape and people through observation and drawing. The meticulous quality of this graphite study suggests that it was made from life. The woman’s noble face and enigmatic expression allude to the spirituality and melancholy that Gauguin sought to conjure in his Polynesian work.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtHead of a Tahitian WomanOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.