The artwork “Still life with mangoes and hibiscus” is an oil on canvas painting by Paul Gauguin dated to 1887, created during his time in Martinique. It belongs to the Post-Impressionism movement and measures 32.5 cm by 47 cm. This still life embodies the genre through its composition of fruit and flowers.
The artwork depicts a tabletop scattered with ripe mangoes of varying shades of yellow, orange, and hints of green and red, some of which are placed on a white plate. A large red hibiscus flower adds a contrast of color, positioned next to a transparent glass goblet to the right. The painting is characterized by loose brushwork and a harmonious, warm color palette, which conveys the lushness and exotic ambiance of the tropics—a theme common in Gauguin’s work. The tabletop and background maintain a sandy, neutral tone that lets the vibrancy of the mangoes and the floral accent of the hibiscus stand out, embodying the essence of the natural beauty found in Martinique.
