plate no. 3381

Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?

oilPost-Impressionismgenre paintingfigureslandscapeanimalstropicalseated womenbird

recreation guide

Paul Gauguin’s *Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?* (1898) is a monumental Post-Impressionist work that synthesizes his mature style of Synthetism and Cloisonnism. The painting is distinctive for its panoramic composition, which reads from right to left, depicting the cycle of life: birth (represented by crouching women and a sleeping child), daily existence (young adulthood picking fruit in a Garden of Eden motif), and death (an old woman approaching death with a white bird representing the futility of words) (Source 1). The work is characterized by vivid, non-representational colors and thick brushstrokes intended to convey emotional strength rather than optical realism (Source 1). Gauguin approached the composition with a calculated, musical logic, aiming to create 'symphonies and harmonies' through the arrangement of lines and colors that stimulate the imagination without direct reference to vulgar reality (Source 4). The painting also features specific inscriptions: the title in the upper left corner and the signature/date in the upper right, both executed without question marks or dashes, with all words capitalized (Source 1).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (vivid, high-chroma pigments)	To achieve the 'vivid use of colors' and 'thick brushstrokes' characteristic of Gauguin's Post-Impressionist style	High-quality artist-grade oils (e.g., Cadmium Yellow, Ultramarine Blue, Vermilion)
Canvas (large format)	To support the monumental scale of the panoramic composition	Linen or cotton duck canvas, primed
Brushes (various sizes, including flat and filbert)	To apply thick impasto and define bold outlines	Natural or synthetic bristle brushes
Black pigment (for outlines)	To create the 'bold outlines' associated with Cloisonnism and Synthetism	Ivory Black or Mars Black
White pigment	For the inscription and the 'strange white bird'	Titanium White or Zinc White

preparation

surface prep

The surface should be prepared to accept thick applications of paint. While specific priming methods for this exact canvas are not detailed in the sources, Gauguin’s practice involved creating canvases with 'independent existence and vitality' (Source 4). A standard oil ground is appropriate. The artist’s later experiments with oil transfers involved layering, but for this oil painting, a stable, absorbent ground is recommended to support the 'thick brushstrokes' (Source 1).

underdrawing

Gauguin’s approach to drawing was calculated; he stated that 'every feature in my paintings is carefully considered and calculated in advance' (Source 4). While specific underdrawing techniques for this painting are not explicitly described, his style evolved from Cloisonnism, which uses 'bold outlines' to separate areas of pure color (Source 8). It is likely that a preliminary sketch defined the major forms and upright lines to 'clearly define shape and contour' (Source 4).

underpainting

Not explicitly described for this specific work. However, Gauguin’s move away from Impressionism involved eliminating 'subtle gradations of colour' (Source 8). An underpainting phase, if used, would likely have been tonal rather than chromatic, serving as a base for the subsequent application of flat, vivid colors.

color palette

Vivid Reds and Oranges

Cadmium Red, Vermilion, Yellow Ochre

General use in this artist's palette to achieve 'vivid use of colors' (Source 1)

Deep Blues

Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue

The 'blue figure' in the background representing 'the Beyond' (Source 1)

Earthy Greens and Browns

Viridian, Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna

The natural environment and foliage, harmonizing man and nature (Source 4)

White

Titanium White

The 'strange white bird' at the feet of the old woman (Source 1) and the inscriptions (Source 1)

Black

Ivory Black

Bold outlines separating color areas, consistent with Cloisonnist influence (Source 8)

composition

The composition is panoramic and reads from right to left, reflecting the cycle of 'birth-sin-death' (Source 1). The right side features three crouched women and a sleeping child (birth); the center features a woman picking fruit in a 'Garden of Eden motif' (sin/daily existence); the left features an old woman approaching death (Source 1). A blue idol in the background represents 'the Beyond' (Source 1). The composition avoids exact bisections, with the prominent subjects distributed across the width. The artist used 'elaborate formal decoration and colouring in patterns of abstraction' to harmonize man and nature (Source 4). The inscriptions are placed in the upper corners: the title in the upper left and the signature/date in the upper right (Source 1).

step by step

underdrawing→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the major forms and upright lines to clearly define shape and contour, ensuring the composition reads from right to left.
Tip — Ensure the 'blue idol' is placed in the background to represent 'the Beyond' (Source 1).
Calculated composition

first pass

step 02
Apply flat areas of vivid color, avoiding subtle gradations. Use analogous colors in close proximity to achieve muted effects where needed, but generally aim for high chroma.
Tip — Remember that Gauguin's colors had an 'independent existence and vitality' (Source 4).
Synthetism/Cloisonnism

refining

step 03
Define the figures with bold outlines, separating the areas of pure color. This technique is reminiscent of Cloisonnism.
Tip — Pay attention to the 'Garden of Eden motif' in the center and the 'domestic submission' symbols like the bracelet and collar on the left (Source 1).
Bold outlines
step 04
Add the 'strange white bird' at the feet of the old woman on the left, representing the 'futility of words' (Source 1).
Tip — Ensure the bird is distinct and white to contrast with the surrounding tones.
Symbolic detail

finishing

step 05
Inscribe the title 'D'où Venons Nous / Que Sommes Nous / Où Allons Nous' in the upper left corner and the signature 'P. Gauguin / 1897' in the upper right corner.
Tip — Use all capital letters, no question marks, and no dashes (Source 1).
Inscription
step 06
Apply thick brushstrokes to convey emotional or expressionistic strength, particularly in the background and foliage.
Tip — The painting is an 'accentuation of Gauguin's trailblazing Post-Impressionistic style' (Source 1).
Impasto

critical techniques

Synthetism

Neither form nor color predominates; each has an equal role. The artist aims to capture the 'soul of nature' and 'ancient truths' (Source 4).

Cloisonnism

Use of flat areas of color separated by heavy black outlines, reducing the image to essential forms (Source 8).

Symbolic Color

Colors are used non-representatively to create 'symphonies and harmonies' that stimulate the imagination (Source 4).

common pitfalls

→Attempting to model forms with subtle gradations of color, which Gauguin explicitly eliminated in his mature style (Source 8).
→Using representational colors that do not convey the 'emotional or expressionistic strength' intended by the artist (Source 1).
→Placing the inscriptions incorrectly or using punctuation (question marks/dashes) that Gauguin omitted (Source 1).
→Failing to arrange the composition to read from right to left, disrupting the narrative of 'birth-sin-death' (Source 1).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific pigment recipes used by Gauguin for this painting are not provided in the sources.
·The exact texture of the canvas ground is not described, though it is inferred to be standard for oil painting.
·Detailed brushwork techniques for specific figures (e.g., the 'two sorrowful women') are not explicitly described beyond general style notes.
·The specific proportions of the figures relative to the canvas size are not detailed.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- On Copying — applied to General advice on the importance of being a 'sound craftsman' and understanding the medium.

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?↗
- Composition and Symbolism — applied to Describing the right-to-left narrative, specific figures (birth, sin, death), the blue idol, the white bird, and the inscriptions.
Wikipedia bio — Paul Gauguin↗
- Color and Composition — applied to Explaining the use of vivid colors, thick brushstrokes, calculated composition, and the goal of creating 'symphonies and harmonies'.
- Cloisonnism and Synthetism — applied to Describing the use of bold outlines, flat areas of color, and the elimination of subtle gradations.