The artwork “Landscape with three figures” is an oil on canvas painting by Paul Gauguin, executed in 1901 during his time in French Polynesia. This piece is part of the Post-Impressionism art movement and falls under the genre of landscape. It currently resides in the Carnegie Museum of Art located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.
In the artwork, Gauguin portrays a vibrant Polynesian landscape teeming with rich, verdant foliage under a sky streaked with white and blue hues. In the foreground, the warm earth tones of a dusty pathway draw the viewer’s attention to three figures: one person is mounted on horseback to the left, while in the center, two individuals stand near the entrance of a thatched-roof hut. The figures are portrayed with a simplicity that echoes the rustic setting. The plantation and surrounding hills frame the domestic scene, exhibiting Gauguin’s distinctive style of bold colors and expressive brushwork, which convey an emotive interpretation of the landscape rather than a strict representational likeness. Gauguin’s use of color and form infuses the scene with a sense of harmony and tranquility while also highlighting his interest in depicting the life and environment of the places he visited.
