Here we see the young boy with his head on a pillow, perhaps having just been put to bed. Paul quickly sketches his son before he falls asleep, and attempts to save this memory forever by making use of his talents as a draughtsman. He worked hard at around this time, capturing his son many times. This example is one of the simplest with very little detail other than around the face. There is no clothing or bed sheets included, although we understand the composition through the angle and pose of the young boy. By this stage his hair is longer and he more resembles a boy, where as being a baby in some of the other drawings. Gauguin experienced great difficulties within his marriage, but clearly had a great love for his children, as underlined in these highly personal portraits.
Bed time is an important point of the day for parents with young children, a moment in which romantic memories talk of stories being told and songs sung. The reality is not always as enjoyable as this, and it may have been possible that Gauguin was sat here for some time, drawing away, before finally Emil drifted off to sleep. Gauguin produced several drawings off him over a period of several years, helping to document his early life whilst also developing his own technical skills.
The Cleveland Museum of Art have ownership of this drawing and although relatively simple it is certainly worth many thousands of dollars, were it ever to come up for sale. Its connection to the hand of Gauguin makes it a highly desirable item and the fact that the portrait is of the artist's son can only increase its potential value even further. Most institutions such as this will avoid selling any of their collection because in the long run they will damage their own display, albeit for short term financial gain. In most cases, any works from the great masters will likely increase in value in any case, as supply narrows more and more over time. There are also some wealthy private collectors from Asia and the Middle East whose interest has pushed valuations up even more as they attempt to build up their own collections.
