The artwork titled “Washerwomen at Roubine du Roi” was created by the esteemed artist Paul Gauguin in 1888, during his time in Arles-sur-tech, France. This piece is executed in oil on canvas and exemplifies the Post-Impressionism movement, specifically falling within the genre painting category. The artwork is a part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) located in New York City, NY, United States.
The artwork depicts a scene of daily life, featuring women engaged in the laborious task of washing clothes. They are situated at the edge of a body of water, possibly a river or a stream, which historically would have been a common public place for such activities. The women are positioned in various poses, each absorbed in their work, which provides a realistic portrayal of their task. Gauguin has employed a rich color palette with contrasting hues that draw attention to the women’s garments and the natural surroundings.
The composition of the artwork allows the viewer to observe the washerwomen in a moment frozen in time, a snapshot of rural French life in the late 19th century. Gauguin’s use of bold outlines and flat areas of color is characteristic of his style during this period, which rejected the nuanced shading of Impressionism in favor of more expressive and symbolic use of color and form.
