Walking stick with a female nude and a Breton sabot on the handle

Paul Gauguin

ca. 1888–90 · Boxwood, mother-of-pearl [Pinctada margaritifera (black-lip pearl oyster)], glass, and iron · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Gauguin made five trips to Brittany between 1886 and 1894. He liked the region's "savage, primitive" quality. His perception is embodied in the carving of this walking stick, with its snake-entwined shaft and handle in the form of a female nude supporting a Breton wooden shoe. The sole of the shoe slides open to reveal a hidden compartment.

Artist

Paul Gauguin

Date

ca. 1888–90

Medium

Boxwood, mother-of-pearl [Pinctada margaritifera (black-lip pearl oyster)], glass, and iron

Culture

French

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Bequest of Miss Adelaide Milton de Groot (1876-1967), 1967