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Why did Paul Gauguin move his family to Denmark in 1884?
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Paul Gauguin
Self-portrait by Paul Gauguin, oil on wood, 1889; in the Chester Dale Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. 79.2 Ć 51.3 cm.
Paul Gauguin moved his family to Denmark in 1884 primarily to seek the support of his wife Metteās family.1
Following the 1882 stock market crash, which resulted in the loss of his job as a stockbroker, Gauguin struggled to support his family despite his desire to dedicate himself to painting. After an unsuccessful attempt to find stability in Rouen, the family relocated to Denmark by the end of 1884 in hopes of finding financial or social assistance from his wife's relatives. This move ultimately proved difficult, as Gauguin faced disapproval from his in-laws and remained unemployed, leading him to return to Paris with his eldest son by mid-1885.1