Femme Nue Debout
Details
Edition
/10
Medium
Bronze with Brown Patina
Signature
Signed with the Raised Signature 'P Gauguin' (on the base); Stamped with the Foundry Mark and Numbered
Unframed Dimensions
23.5 x 8 x 7 in
59.69 x 20.32 x 17.78 cm
Year
Originally Conceived in Clay in 1890-1891; Bronze Version Cast at a Later Date
MORE FROM THIS ARTIST
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Paul Gauguin (1848–1903) was a pioneering French Post-Impressionist painter whose vivid color, bold forms, and spiritual symbolism helped lay the foundations of modern art. Born in Paris to journalist Clovis Gauguin and Aline Maria Chazal, the daughter of feminist and proto-socialist figure Flora Tristan, Gauguin’s early childhood took an unexpected turn when his family fled political unrest for Peru in 1851. His father died during the voyage, leaving Gauguin, his mother, and sister to live with relatives in Lima. The colors, textiles, and cultural imagery of Peru left a lasting imprint on the young artist, resurfacing decades later in his work.
Originally trained as a stockbroker and self-taught as a painter, Gauguin first embraced Impressionism, exhibiting alongside artists such as Camille Pissarro. Yet he soon rejected Impressionism’s naturalism in favor of a more expressive, symbolic approach. Gauguin developed what he called Synthetism, a style emphasizing flat planes of color, simplified forms, and inner emotion over direct observation. His palette grew richer, more saturated, and more daring, marking him as a radical voice in late 19th-century art.
Gauguin’s travels profoundly shaped his vision. Brittany’s rugged spirituality, Martinique’s tropical intensity, and, most famously, Tahiti’s Indigenous culture became central to his search for what he viewed as a more “authentic” existence. His Tahitian paintings, Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? are among the most iconic works of modernism, merging myth, symbolism, and color into visionary narratives.
While Gauguin struggled financially in his lifetime, he attracted a small group of early supporters including German collector Wilhelm Uhde and influential Parisian art dealer Ambroise Vollard. After his death, his market rose sharply, with collectors like Albert C. Barnes and Paul Rosenberg acquiring major works. Today, Gauguin’s paintings rank among the most valuable of the Post-Impressionist era.
Gauguin’s impact on 20th-century art is immeasurable. His rejection of realism and embrace of color and symbolic form deeply influenced Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, André Derain, Georges Braque, and the development of Fauvism, Cubism, and Orphism. Art historian John Rewald cemented his legacy in Post-Impressionism: From Van Gogh to Gauguin (1956), establishing him as a cornerstone in the birth of modern art.
Gauguin’s work is held in virtually every major museum of modern art, including the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and MoMA in New York, the National Gallery and Tate in London, and countless others around the world.
Explore Paul Gauguin at DTR Modern Galleries
As a defining force in Post-Impressionism, Paul Gauguin’s work remains essential to the story of modern art. DTR Modern Galleries showcases his legacy within our curated selection of masterworks, available for collectors across our locations in New York City, Boston, Palm Beach, and Washington, D.C.
