#6. Gauguin and Primitivism

Paul Gauguin made The Yellow Christ in 1889. After Gauguin left the Arles, he returned to Pont-Aven and made this painting. This yellow Christ statue was in the church at the Pont-Aven. This statue depicted the execution scene of Christ but the background was Bretagne as we can see the women, who surrounded by Christ, wearing the Bretagne’s tradition clothes. Therefore, this painting draw the Christ but there is no meaning for religious. However, this could be a self-portrait. According to The Challenge of the Avant-garde, this perception of the artist as a courageous ‘independent’ struggling against a philistine public. As such, it has contributed to the mythology of the ‘modern’ male artist and was seen by many late nineteenth-century artist and critics as a condition of avant-gardism.

As we can see from the book, The Yellow Christ can be considered an avant-garde. Also, through the Griselda Pollock’s formula, we could certainly prove it. The first requirement is reference; Gauguin showed an awareness of what was going on in the art world through the Christ on the cross. This scene is absolutely familiar to everyone, so it could be a convention painting. Also, he used usual subject for landscape of outdoor scenes with his own way. He made all the landscape as abstract image such as trees, houses, field, and even human.

Another requirement is deference. It defer to the latest and most radical development, especially in terms of technique. I guess that Gauguin interested in light, color, and loose brushstrokes just like Impressionists. In this painting, Gauguin used yellow and orange palette color. The Christ’s body is extremely yellow, trees turn out autumn leaves, and field is covered with yellow and orange. He used not realistic colors for the painting. When we look at the sky, it feels like clouds are moving fast. Also, there are not much of details on it. Even the three women’s face, there is not much of facial expression. So I think that Gauguin drew this painting in a short time with loose brushstrokes.

The last requirement is difference. It helps on to establish an artist as ‘modern’ or ‘Avant-garde’ by showing how the artist is making a marked advancement on the current issues regarding aesthetics or art criticism. Gauguin used bold out lines in this painting. And he used really bright and vibrant colors. So overall, the painting became simplify. In the painting, except some of the bluish light, there is no perspective expression. And there are bold outlines for divided landscape and figures. He made all the figures in the painting to abstract style. I think that this is one of the big differences from the impressionists.  In addition, I think that Gauguin made big difference by making self-portrait through the Christ figure. As I mentioned, I guess he showed himself through the Christ figure and he wanted to express that he is an artist and he is a courageous independent struggling against philistine public. This painting is too simplified and exaggerated but it makes me to wonder about what story is behind of it.