The White Horse
1898
Gauguin created this dreamy Tahitian scene during his second trip to the islands, blending reality with a mystical, Symbolist vibe. Notice how the famous 'white' horse is actually painted in shades of pale green and grey, drinking from a dark stream while riders pass in the background. He ditched realistic colors to capture the feeling of the landscape rather than just its look, using twisted trees and flat planes of color inspired by Japanese prints. It’s a perfect snapshot of his desire to escape European civilization and find paradise, even if that paradise was partly in his own imagination.
Location: Musée d'Orsay, Paris
Views: 7