The artwork “Haystacks in Brittany” was created by Paul Gauguin in 1890 during his time in France. This piece is executed in oil on canvas and falls under the Post-Impressionism movement. Measuring 74.3 cm by 93.6 cm, it can be described as a landscape painting. Currently, the painting is held in a private collection.
The artwork presents a rural landscape scene characterized by Gauguin’s distinctive style of bold colors and strong outlines. In the foreground, one can observe a field with rows of crops and a group of haystacks, rendered in various shades of earth tones. The haystacks dominate the middle ground, serving as robust geometric forms that draw the viewer’s eye across the canvas. A vibrant blue sky commands the background, with hints of clouds brushed lightly across.
Short, expressive brushstrokes give the artwork a dynamic texture, conveying the sense of a breezy and lively countryside. In the lower right corner, a woman in traditional dress, accompanied by two cows, adds a human element to the composition without detracting from the overall emphasis on the landscape. The contrasting colors and the subtle play of light and shadow create a harmonious and immersive scene that showcases Gauguin’s prowess in capturing the essence of the Breton landscape. The painting’s treatment of form and its abstraction of nature are indicative of the Post-Impressionist movement’s departure from the realistic representations of earlier periods.