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Gauguin and van Gogh Self Portraits Dedicated to Each Other

V-Collections Art Emotions Series

Turn&Learn ….
more about the relationship between Gauguin and van Gogh.

Following the sun to create great art … together!

Paul Gauguin had artistic friendships with Vincent van Gogh and Emile Bernard (another post-Impressionist painter). At van Gogh’s suggestion, all agreed to paint self portraits showing their unity. The friends (except van Gogh) included the image of the other in the background.

In October 1888, Vincent van Gogh left Paris chasing the sun to Arles, France to create the ‘Studio of the South’. He invited Gauguin to join him living and working together. Van Gogh rented part of a yellow stucco house and painted many works to decorate   the small ‘yellow house’ as a future studio for artists to gain inspiration from the sun and light of the south of France.

Self-Portrait with Portrait of Émile Bernard (Les misérables)  Paul Gauguin, 1888
Self-Portrait with Portrait of Émile Bernard (Les misérables) Paul Gauguin, 1888

Vincent Van Gogh, Self-Portrait dedicated to Gauguin, 1888
Vincent Van Gogh, Self-Portrait dedicated to Gauguin, 1888

Before Gauguin arrived, the two artists exchanged many letters outlining their creative strategies and each dedicated a self portrait to the other. The paintings revealed how they perceived themselves.

Vincent van GoghGauguin, in his self portrait dedicated to Vincent van Gogh (‘Les Miserables’), presented himself as an ‘outlaw’ against the noble character of Jean Valjean in Victor Hugo’s ‘Les Miserables’.
His self portrait includes a rendering of his friend Emile Bernard in the background.

Vincent van GoghVan Gogh’s self- portrait, which does not include a portrait of either Gauguin or Benard in the painting, is an austere representation.
He depicts himself with beard as a monk suggesting his believe in a monastic lifestyle.

Vincent Van Gogh, Self-Portrait dedicated to Gauguin, 1888
Vincent Van Gogh, Self-Portrait dedicated to Gauguin, 1888

After just two months, the tension between the two artists led to van Gogh famously cutting off his ear and van Gogh’s dream of the ‘Studio of the South’ dissolved.
However, great works resulted from the experiment.

V-Collections Art Emotions Series

V-Collections Gauguin and Van Gogh theme cubes in the Art Emotions Series bring to life the works of these great artists and offer the opportunity to Turn&Learn as you solve the cleVer Cube.

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