Paul Gauguin

1848 - 1903

Paul Gauguin spent his early childhood with his mother's aristocratic relatives in Peru. There his life was carefree and full of color. When he was six, his family returned to a much drearier life in France. At 17, Gauguin went to sea for six years then settled in Paris and became a successful businessman. He married a young Danish woman and they had five children. For 12 years, Gauguin painted as a hobby but gradually art became his passion. At 35, he quit his job to be an artist then abandoned his family to search for a freer, simpler way of life. He spent 10 of the last 12 years of his life painting in the South Pacific, where he died at 54.

Learn more about Gauguin:

Paul Gaugin and Tahiti - Audiovisual Tour
Click on a number to learn more about the artist and his vision of Tahiti. Click on the speakers on the bottom right to hear the accompanying audio explanations. (Note: some images of nudes in the painting series.)
Level: Grades 5-8

Who Am I - Self-Portraits of Van Gogh, Gauguin and other Artists
An in-depth art activity for Middle School students. Who am I? contains a set of art and writing activities designed to help middle school students begin to answer this important question. Students can look carefully at self-portraits in the National Gallery of Art's collection by Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, and other artists and respond to questions online. They can also make self-portraits and write poetry, a speech, and a letter about themselves.
Level: Grades 5-8