Paul Gauguin - A big tree 1891

A big tree 1891
A big tree
1891 73x91cm oil/canvas
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

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From Art Institute of Chicago:
Upon arriving in Tahiti in June 1891, Paul Gauguin was keen to observe and understand the local vegetation. The big tree referred to in the title of this painting is the hotu tree at left. On the right, a tropical almond tree rises behind a screen of banana leaves, and along the right edge is a red-blossomed hibiscus shrub. Breadfruit leaves dot the foreground. The work is infused with dreamlike, heightened colors in a highly decorative composition arranged around curving, exuberant lines that transcend the topographical.