Paul Gauguin - The vase of nasturtiums 1886

The vase of nasturtiums 1886
The vase of nasturtiums
1886 33x41cm oil/canvas
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Canada

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From National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa:
This still-life was painted during Gauguin's first visit to Pont-Aven, a village near the rugged Atlantic coast of Brittany, where artists gathered in the summer. Standing next to the flowers on the table is a locally made drinking vase known as a "biberon", or baby bottle, with its handle turned towards the viewer. Gauguin has placed one or two floral stems below the rim of the vase, which, combined with the position of its handle and painted decoration, suggests a human face.