Blue roofs of Rouen 1884

Paul Gauguin painted "Blue Roofs of Rouen" using oil on canvas, but we can't be sure when. Rouen, in northern France, was immortalized by Impressionist painters like Monet and Pissarro. Gauguin here shows a typical view of that northern town, clinging to a hillside. He emphasizes its domesticity, and the sky above. But like many post-impressionist painters, Gauguin was interested in more than just appearances. He wanted to express his subjective feelings about the world, and to find something more authentic than modern, industrial society. At this time, many artists felt that Western art institutions were too restrictive, and that modern life alienated people from their true selves. Gauguin would later abandon Europe altogether, seeking a more genuine culture in the South Pacific. What did he find there, and how did that change his art? To discover the answers, we need the tools of the historian: letters, archives, and an understanding of social context.