Description
In the Waves by Paul Gauguin shows a nude woman from behind, arcing diagonally through dark green water, her red-orange hair contrasting vividly with the sea. A bent arm reaches behind her head, while curved white foam moves around the body. Simplified contours keep the figure distinct within the waves, giving the scene an expressive force beyond a straightforward observation of bathing.
Painted in oil on canvas in 1889 at Pont-Aven, the work uses exaggerated color and firm outlines to give the encounter a symbolic character. Gauguin exhibited it at the Café Volpini in Paris that year. The painting’s interest lies in the relationship between the body and the enveloping water, where a physical action can also suggest release from familiar surroundings. The green sea and warm hair carry that tension through color, giving the figure’s movement a memorable visual force.
Read our guide to giclée prints, browse more Paul Gauguin prints, or explore Tahitian Women Bathing.
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