A collection of quotes by Paul Gauguin on painting, art, artist, colors, life, creativity, inspiration, solitude, freedom, conventions, beauty and nature.
19 Notable Quotes By Paul Gauguin
Quick Facts
Famous As
Artist - Painting, Sculpture, Ceramics, Engraving
Paul Gauguin was a legendary French painter known for his unconventional style of painting. His synthetic style and empirical use of colors is believed to have inspired many modern day artists like Pablo Picasso. He was inclined towards painting from an early age as a sideline. He served the French Navy and worked as a stockbroker before starting his painting career. One of his paintings was selected at the renowned art show of Paris called ‘Salon of 1876’. This brought him into the limelight and he attracted the Impressionist group with his unique artistic skill. This group matched his ideologies of challenging traditional styles, and he was allowed to exhibit his painting with legendary artists like Pissarro. A couple of his most popular paintings are 'Vision of the Sermon’ and ‘The Yellow Christ’. He did not like the rules of the European Society and moved to Tahiti in search of creative freedom. There he blended the native ideas with his original ideas to make fascinating paintings. His most notable painting was ‘La Orana Maria’ which according to Gauguin portrayed a goddess. He returned to France to show his works in Tahiti but these works had a low response level as the critics were unable to understand his style. His paintings gained recognition after his death. Here is a treasure trove of quotations and sayings by the celebrated painter that will paint your life with rainbow colors. Go through the inspiring thoughts and quotes by Paul Gauguin.
I shut my eyes in order to see.
- Paul Gauguin
Art is either revolution or plagiarism
- Paul Gauguin
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
We never really know what stupidity is until we have experimented on ourselves.
- Paul Gauguin
...solitude is not to be recommended to everyone, for you have to be strong in order to bear it and act alone.
- The Writings of a Savage, Paul Gauguin
Color which, like music, is a matter of vibrations, reaches what is most general and therefore most indefinable in nature: its inner power.
- Paul Gauguin![]()
The self-esteem one acquires and a well-earned feeling of one's strength are the only consolation in this world. Income, after all, most brutes have that.
- The Writings of a Savage, Paul Gauguin![]()
How do you see this tree? Is it green?
...Don't be afraid to paint it as green as possible.
- Paul Gauguin![]()
It is so small a thing, the life of a man, and yet there is time to do great things, fragments of a common task.
- The Writings of a Savage, Paul Gauguin![]()
All the joys—animal and human—of a free life are mine. I have escaped everything that is artificial, conventional, customary. I am entering into the truth, into nature.
- Noa Noa, Paul Gauguin![]()
Don't over finish your work. There is value to done.
- Paul Gauguin![]()
All the masters have those weak points that are called masterpieces; and besides, they do them as crowd pleasers -- to prove that they have the know-how.
- The Writings of a Savage, Paul Gauguin![]()
I tried to make everything breathe in this painting: faith, quiet suffering, religious and primitive style, and great nature with its scream.
- Paul Gauguin![]()
Is there a recipe for making beauty? The schools give recipes, but they do not beget works that make people exclaim: " How beautiful that is!
- The Writings of a Savage, Paul Gauguin![]()
Beautiful colors exist, though we do not realize it, and are glimpsed behind the veil that modesty has drawn over them.
- The Writings of a Savage, Paul Gauguin
![]()
Where do we come from?" "What are we?""Where are we going?
- Paul Gauguin: Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?, Paul Gauguin![]()
31. "Shut your eyes in order to see." ~
- Paul Gauguin![]()
Absinthe is the only decent drink that suits an artist.
- Paul Gauguin![]()
Neuznvm ždnou jinou pravdu, kromě pravdy uměleck lži.
- Paul Gauguin
