The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Debuts Gauguin in the World

Making its Texas-sized debut at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the brilliant works of Paul Gauguin beckon.

Paul Gauguin, Trois tahitiens (Three Tahitians), 1899, oil on canvas

Ferocious, brilliant and ahead of his time—these words come to mind when prompted to think about French post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin. This month, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, will welcome the incredible scope of work from the creative tour-de-force. Marking the only U.S. venue for this incredible exhibition of the work, Gauguin in the World will debut on Nov. 3, running through Feb. 16, 2025. Immerse yourself in more than 150 of Gauguin’s works—from paintings, sculptures, prints and writings; patrons are invited to peek into the life of one of the most notable artists in history. “Gauguin was controversial in his own time and remains so today. The scope of this exhibition, and the thoughtful, wide-ranging perspectives on Gauguin’s work offered by the catalog’s authors, promise to illuminate the artist in all of his artistic complexity,” notes Gary Tinterow, director and Margaret Alkek Williams, chair of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. “He was the key predecessor to the different strands of modernism that developed through Picasso and Matisse, challenging what he perceived as a culture that had reached a dead end and renewing it by exploring and embracing non-Western art.”