Tte de jeune fille

In the summer of 1893 family duties forced Gauguin to return from Tahiti to Paris for a period of two years. During this time he attempted to sell as much work as he could in order to finance a second trip. Although very well received critically, his South Seas inspired works did not sell well at the highly priced exhibition that Durand-Ruel held for him late in 1893. Of this period in Gauguin's oeuvre the artist wrote to August Strindberg, "I felt stirrings of rebellion: a whole clash between your civilsation and my barbarism. Civilisation from which you suffer. Barbarism which for me is a rejuvenation" (5 February 1895, quoted in ed. B. Thompson, Gauguin by himself, London, 1998, p. 196).

The present work is one of only two examples of this piece known to exist. The other, La tahitienne, is currently in the collection of the Petit Palais in the Muse d'Art Moderne in Geneva.

The Wildenstein Institute has kindly confirmed the authenticity of this work.