The artwork “China Asters, Hat and Book” is an oil on panel painting by Paul Gauguin, completed circa 1876 in Paris, France. An exemplar of the Impressionist movement, the painting is a still life currently housed in a private collection. The choice of medium and thematic focus of this work reflect the broader tendencies of Impressionist artists to capture the transient effects of light and color.
In the artwork, a vibrant display of china asters is casually arranged, their petals painted with a rich impasto that provides a sense of depth and texture. The flowers, in varying shades of white, pink, and purple, seem to spill over the boundaries of their container—a hat that adds a domestic and personal touch to the composition. Adjacent to the hat lies an open book, its pages splayed and inviting contemplation, suggesting perhaps a moment of leisure paused. The background is swathed in a warm, golden tone, complementing the organic forms of the blossoms with vigorous brush strokes that imbue the scene with energy. The signature of the artist, “P. Gauguin,” resides conspicuously in the bottom right, anchoring the artwork with a sense of identity and authorship.
