La Vague (Wave) by Paul Gauguin (Interpretation and Analysis)

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La Vague
Source: Wikimedia Commons
French artist Paul Gauguin is best known for his so-called Tahitian paintings, produced during his trips to Martinique, Tahiti, and the Marquesas Islands. However, he also produced many fine works of art while living in France. Gauguin was especially inspired by the region of Brittany, which he believed had a “savage, primitive quality.”

La Vague (which translates to The Wave) was painted during one of his trips to Brittany. According to my research, the painting represents the beginning of a major shift in Gauguin’s work, as he began to pursue a less realistic, more symbolic approach to art. In this piece, Gauguin challenges many elements of conventional Western art.

The first unusual element of La Vague is the perspective. The piece is painted from a bird’s eye perspective, giving an unusual sense of proportion and scale (in point of fact, Gauguin actually sketched the scene from a bluff that overlooked the beach). The fact that there is no horizon in the painting also produces an interesting effect, destabilizing the piece and dispensing with the clear, narrative energy that most paintings produce.

Gauguin’s use of color is also particularly interesting and vibrant. La Vague employs a literal rainbow of blues, greens, and pinks to create depth and visual interest on the surface of the water. The beach, represented in a stunning shade of red, and the black rocks provide dramatic contrast. According to my research, the red also references the life-giving energy of blood, which is symbolized by the maternal energy of the earth. The overall effect is to challenge the way the viewer brings the water, challenging them to access the image on a deeper level.

At its core, La Vague is a visionary piece, possessed of powerful spiritual energy. Like many of Gauguin’s paintings, La Vague has its roots in the psychological realm, appealing to the primal human emotions and feelings that Gauguin was so interested in.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.

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