| Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? | |
|---|---|
| French: D'où venons-nous ? Que sommes-nous ? Où allons-nous ? | |
 | |
| Artist | Paul Gauguin |
| Year | 1897–1898 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Movement | Post Impressionism |
| Dimensions | 139 cm × 375 cm (55 in × 148 in) |
| Location | Museum of Fine Arts, Boston |
Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? (French: D'où venons-nous ? Que sommes-nous ? Où allons-nous ?) is a 1897–98 painting by French artist Paul Gauguin. The painting was created in Tahiti, and is in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts. Viewed as a masterpiece by Gauguin, the painting is considered "a philosophical work comparable to the themes of the Gospels".[1]
The painting is notable for its enigmatic subject and atmosphere. Some scholars have attributed these qualities to personal conflicts that Gauguin experienced while creating this artwork.[2] It is an accentuation of Gauguin's trailblazing Post-Impressionistic style.
Frizeau sold the painting around 1913 to Galerie Barbazanges, which sold it before 1920 to the Norwegian ship owner and art collector Jørgen Breder Stang [no]. He sold the painting via Alfred Gold in 1935, and it was bought by the Marie Harriman Gallery in New York City in 1936. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, acquired it from the Marie Harriman Gallery on 16 April 1936.