The Night Café in Arles

1870s–1891 · Werkzaam in

Paris

summer 1886

First Summer in Pont-Aven, Meeting Laval

Gauguin spent the summer of 1886 in the artists' colony of Pont-Aven in Brittany, drawn there by the cheapness of life; he enjoyed unexpected success among the young artists and met Charles Laval, his future companion on the journey to Panama and Martinique.

May 1886

Eighth (Last) Impressionist Exhibition

In May 1886 Gauguin showed 19 paintings and a wooden relief at the eighth and last Impressionist exhibition; that same year he broke decisively with Pissarro, rejecting Seurat's pointillism.

1886–1891 · Werkzaam in

Pont-Aven

1887

Panama and Martinique

In 1887–1888 Gauguin visited Panama, where he observed the construction of the Panama Canal, and traveled on with the painter Laval to Martinique. Martinique helped bring about an evolution in his art, making Japanese influences apparent.

October – December 1888

Nine Weeks with Van Gogh in Arles

In 1888, at Theo's insistence, Gauguin worked for nine weeks with Vincent van Gogh in his Yellow House in Arles. Their relationship deteriorated: on the evening of 23 December 1888, according to Gauguin's later account, Vincent came at him with a razor and then cut off his own ear; Gauguin left Arles, and they never saw each other again.