Little girl from Rochefort-en-Terre

Roderic O’Conor spent a few months in Pont-Aven in 1891, staying at Marie-Jeanne Gloanec’s boarding house. Three years later, he met Paul Gauguin there, who was in Brittany for his final stay. A deep friendship developed between the two artists. Despite his efforts, Gauguin was unable to convince O’Conor to join him in Polynesia. O’Conor continued his career in Brittany, notably in Rochefort-en-Terre, where he lived until January 1899. This portrait of a young girl from Rochefort-en-Terre is part of a series of female figures that marks O’Conor’s return to a more classical style. The palette favors black and earthy tones, while the brushwork becomes more restrained and controlled. The artist, however, enlivens the whole scene with delicate touches of light, placed on the young girl's face, her embroidered bonnet, and her blue shawl, giving the portrait a presence that is both gentle and luminous.