Artwork
Month of Mary (Te avae no Maria)
Month of Mary (Te avae no Maria) is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin. It dates from 1900 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1900, *Month of Mary (Te avae no Maria)* is an oil painting on canvas by Paul Gauguin. The work belongs to the Post‑Impressionist period and is part of the State Hermitage Museum’s collection. It presents a solitary female figure in a garden, rendered with Gauguin’s characteristic emphasis on symbolic resonance over naturalistic detail.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a woman in a white dress, her long dark hair framing a calm expression as she holds a bouquet of flowers. Set against a warm yellow backdrop filled with trees and blossoms, the scene conveys a tranquil, contemplative atmosphere, suggesting themes of purity, reverence for nature, and quiet devotion.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil, the painting displays Gauguin’s Synthetist approach, where flat areas of vivid color replace detailed modeling. The palette is dominated by warm yellows and muted greens, while the figure is outlined with simplified forms. This reduction of detail in favor of bold chromatic zones reflects the artist’s departure from Impressionist spontaneity toward symbolic abstraction.
History & Provenance
Gauguin completed the work at the turn of the twentieth century, during a period of intense experimentation with color and symbolism. After changing hands several times, the painting entered the State Hermitage Museum’s holdings, where it remains accessible to the public as part of the museum’s European art collection.
Context
The piece emerges from Gauguin’s broader quest to move beyond the fleeting impressions of light toward a more expressive, inner reality. Influenced by his travels and interest in non‑Western cultures, he sought to infuse everyday scenes with spiritual and symbolic layers, a goal evident in the serene garden setting of this work.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin (; French: ; 7 June 1848 – 8 May 1903) was a French painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramist, and writer, whose work has been primarily associated with the Post-Impressionist and Symbolist movements.
