Caricature of Paul Gauguin 1889

In this watercolor and ink drawing from 1889, Emile Bernard offers us a caricature of Paul Gauguin. The composition presents a seated figure, likely Gauguin, rendered with loose, fluid brushstrokes. Notice how Bernard uses a limited palette, primarily blacks, yellows, and grays, to create a somber yet striking visual. The caricature emphasizes certain features—the set of his mouth, the yellow blouse—through exaggeration, a conventional technique that aims for comic effect but also reveals something deeper about the artist's perception. Bernard was working alongside Gauguin at this time, and there are cultural codes that may have informed the caricature. It suggests an interesting interplay of admiration, rivalry, and artistic dialogue, with an underlying structure that explores their shared concerns about art, identity, and representation. The form destabilizes the conventional portrait, inviting us to reflect on the shifting boundaries between observation and interpretation.