Two Head Studies and a Crouching Nude Woman; Two Women's Heads and a Head of Child [recto] 1884 - 1888

Paul Gauguin made this pen and ink drawing of various head studies around the late 19th century. The sketch gives us insight into the cultural and artistic milieu of Gauguin’s time. We can see the influence of academic training in the detailed rendering of facial features, like the profile of the woman wearing a hat. The style and dress of the figures suggest an urban, possibly Parisian setting, reflecting the social class to which Gauguin belonged before his departure to Tahiti. These drawings tell us about the artist’s process; they may have been preparatory studies for larger works, and the very act of sketching was central to the artistic practices taught in European academies at the time. A historian might look to similar sketches by his contemporaries to learn more about the art education system that shaped Gauguin’s early career. These documents help us understand the artist's place in the world and the world's influence on the art.