Provenance
Vollard Estate, from 1939 [Joachim 1979]; W. Walter [Joachim 1979]; sold to James Lord, Paris, from 1947 [letter from James Lord of September 25, 1960, in curatorial file] until at least 1948 [Wildenstein, 1948]. John L. Senior, Jr. [Chicago 1959]. Sold by Knoedler and Company, New York, to the Art Institute, 1956.
Accession Number
4939
Medium
Charcoal and wetted charcoal, with stumping and erasing, on cream wove paper, selectively fixed
Dimensions
41.3 × 32.5 cm (16 5/16 × 12 13/16 in.)
Classification
charcoal
Credit Line
Gift of David Adler and his friends
Background & Context
Background Story
Paul Gauguin's Heads of Tahitian Women, Frontal and Profile Views (1891/93) is a charcoal drawing on cream wove paper showing multiple studies of Tahitian women's heads in frontal and profile views. This sheet of studies shows Gauguin's systematic approach to capturing the distinctive features of Tahitian faces. The charcoal technique uses wetted charcoal, stumping, and erasing to create a rich range of tones.
Cultural Impact
Gauguin's studies of Tahitian heads document his systematic observation of the island people.
Why It Matters
This sheet of studies of Tahitian women's heads shows Gauguin's careful observation of facial types.
