Tomatoes and a pewter tankard on a table 1883

Paul Gauguin painted ‘Tomatoes and a pewter tankard on a table’, which is now held in a private collection. This still life predates Gauguin’s more famous paintings from Tahiti, but it provides insight into his artistic identity. During the late 19th century, the still life genre was often associated with domesticity and the feminine sphere. Yet, here, Gauguin presents a subversion of these traditional representations. The tomatoes, rendered in vivid reds and oranges, are robust and earthy. This contrasts with the cool, metallic sheen of the pewter tankard, an object more typically associated with masculine spaces like taverns or workshops. Notice the composition – the table is draped with a seemingly haphazard cloth. This suggests a fleeting moment, an interruption of the everyday. Gauguin's expressive brushwork and bold color choices reflect an emotional engagement with his subject, hinting at a personal narrative beyond the surface. Through this still life, we witness an artist challenging the conventional boundaries of genre and gender. It is tempting to view this piece not just as a collection of objects, but as a quiet declaration of artistic intent.