The artwork titled “Clearing” was crafted by Paul Gauguin in 1873, in France. It is an oil on canvas painting that falls into the Impressionism movement. The dimensions of the artwork are 38 x 46 cm. It is categorized within the landscape genre and currently resides in the Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Orléans, in Orleans, France.
The artwork presents a serene landscape dominated by the lush greenery of trees and the natural tranquility characteristic of rural settings. In the foreground, a clearing is visible, where the land appears less densely vegetated and is suffused with light that seems to filter through the foliage. The sense of depth is created by the varying intensities of color and the gradation of light, quintessential to the Impressionist style. Two figures, likely local inhabitants, can be observed in the midst of this natural setting, adding a human element to the scene. They appear small and blend modestly with their surroundings, emphasizing the grandeur and the enduring presence of nature as compared to the transitory human presence. This piece showcases Gauguin’s early engagement with the landscape genre before his more famous forays into Post-Impressionism and the synthetist style that he would later develop.
