Paul Gauguin: Paris, 1889

October 4, 2009–January 18, 2010

This landmark exhibition gathers about 75 paintings, works on paper, woodcarvings, and ceramics by Paul Gauguin and his contemporaries to explore how the artist created his signature style during the year 1889. Co-organized by the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, Paul Gauguin: Paris, 1889 re-creates on a smaller scale the radical independent exhibition that Gauguin organized with his artistic disciples on the grounds of the 1889 Exposition Universelle—a display of about 100 paintings now recognized as the first Symbolist exhibition in Paris.

Paul Gauguin (French, 1848–1903). Breton Girls Dancing, Pont-Aven, 1888. Oil on canvas; 73 x 92.7 cm. National Gallery of Art, Washington, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon 1983.1.19. Image courtesy the Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art, Washington

Paul Gauguin: Paris, 1889 also closely examines Gauguin’s first set of prints, a portfolio of eleven lithographs printed on brilliant yellow paper. First on view at Monsieur Volpini’s Café des Arts, this so-called Volpini Suite chronicled the artist’s early career and travels to Martinique, Brittany, and Arles. The exhibition documents the development of familiar motifs—such as the mourning Eve, the woman in the waves, and fruit bearers—that would distinguish Gauguin’s work for the rest of his career.

FLASH version of slideshow

Paul Gauguin: Paris, 1889 was organized by the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Van Gogh Museum. The exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. The exhibition is made possible through major support provided by the Malcolm E. Kenney Special Exhibitions Endowment Fund. The supporting corporate sponsor of the exhibition is KeyBank. Additional support has been provided by The Painting and Drawing Society of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art is generously funded by Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this exhibition with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. Online media sponsor cleveland.com.

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© 2009 The Cleveland Museum of Art