The Green Christ
1889 painting by Paul Gauguin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Green Christ (in French: Le Christ vert) is an oil-on-canvas painting executed by Paul Gauguin on November 20, 1889 in Pont-Aven, Brittany.[1] It depicts a Breton woman at the foot of a calvary, or green-tinted sculpture of Christ's crucifixion. This image emphasizes both Breton culture and religious symbolism.
.jpg)
| The Green Christ | |
|---|---|
| |
| Artist | Paul Gauguin |
| Year | 1889 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 92 cm × 73 cm (36.2 in × 28.7 in) |
| Location | Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels |
Background & cultural context
Gauguin created this work while living in Pont-Aven, Brittany. Topographically, the site depicted is the Atlantic coast at Le Pouldu. But the calvary depicted is an amalgam of several calvaries from different places; the cross is based upon that in the centre of Névez, a community close to Pont-Aven, located several miles from the coast, and the figure of Christ is based upon the calvarie at Briec, also at some distance from the sea.[2][3][4] The Breton people, known for their strong Catholic faith and adherence to traditional customs, inspired Gauguin’s portrayal of their authentic spirituality in The Green Christ.[citation needed]
Composition & style
The Green Christ depicts a Breton woman kneeling at the foot of a green crucifix. This woman wears traditional, modest Breton clothing and holds a black lamb in her left hand.[1] The statue of Christ, shown after the crucifixion, has an elongated, motionless body supported by the three Marys, whose expressions are somber.
_1889.jpg)
