As a prolific Haitian painter, Gourgue often showed Haitian landscapes and people in his work. This painting, Woman with Light shows a woman softly lit by a nearby lantern. A trail extends from where she’s standing towards a small structure amongst mountains and trees. Here, Gourgue combines an expressionist style with elements of Haitian life and culture. Notice some key characteristics of expressionism within the piece, such as the jagged lines, distorted shapes, and intense shadows. What emotions does this image evoke for you?
This painting was made using oil paints on masonite, or hardboard. Gourgue was never formally trained, but managed to master many academic painting techniques while staying true to his style. The visuals in Woman with Light, like in most of his paintings, provide a surrealist view of his country and his life. In the book La Peinture Haitienne, his work is described as haunting and as reflecting “an anguished man’s sense of the tragic.” The deep shadows and the woman’s still expression against the golden light contribute to this haunting, surreal mood.
Written by Haley Thompson