Description
The work "The vision after the sermon (Jacob fighting with the angel)", created by Paul Gauguin in 1888, is a fascinating example of the fusion of symbolism and post -impressionism, movements in which the artist played a crucial role. This painting enters the constant search for Gauguin to explore spiritual and existential issues, standing on a deeply religious narrative that leads the viewer to a state of contemplation.
The work presents an intriguing composition in which, in the foreground, a group of women, dressed in red robes and white hats, observes and, in an almost trance sense, attends the representation of Jacob's struggle against the angel. The struggle scene, which develops in the background, is represented dramatic and almost dreamlike, manifesting a feeling of transcendence. This use of the contrast between what is observed and what you imagine is a signature of the symbolic palette of Gauguin and a reflection of its interest in the spiritual beyond the tangible.
The use of color in "The vision after the sermon" is remarkable. Intense colors, such as the vibrant red of the background and the target of women's gowns, create a pictorial space that is simultaneously emotional and contemplative. Saturated tones not only give life to the work, but also serve to accentuate the intensity of the religious event represented. The division of the work into two sections - the reality of women in the foreground and the biblical vision in the background - is a bold compositional choice, which reinforces the separation between daily experience and spiritual experience.
The characters in the painting, the Breton women, are representative of rural life and folkore that Gauguin admired, as well as the religious "frenzy" of the time. Together, they seem to be in a state of spiritual fervor, and their expressions, even if they do not stop in individualized details, show a deep connection with the scene they observe, although they are physically in a different place.
The choice of Jacob's narrative and the angel, which symbolizes the constant struggle between the divine and the human, is appropriate for this composition. Gauguin was an artist who was attracted to the biblical and folk stories that spoke of the human condition. This work is not just a tribute to an ancient story, but also becomes a vehicle for meditation on faith, internal struggle and redemption.
In terms of style, "the vision after the sermon" moves away from naturalism from impressionism, exploring a greater simplification of forms and an approach to abstraction. This distillation of the form, together with the emotional use of color, anticipates certain directions of modern art. We observe, for example, the tendency towards the synthesis that Gauguin will develop later, especially in his works in Tahiti, where he will deepen the representation of the exotic and spiritual.
Although Gauguin was a controversial artist, his work continues to resonate through the times, with constant debates about his interpretation and meaning. "The vision after the sermon" is a work that invites reflection, not only about art itself, but about the interaction of religion, culture and human perception. In sum, this painting is presented as a milestone in the evolution of modern art, rich in symbolism and emotional content, and remains essential to understand the legacy of Paul Gauguin in art history.
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