by Incaroline Bugler; Translated by Li Yan and Yang Enyi
Paul Gauguin's (1848-1903) colorful life and his equally colorful paintings sparked endless imagination.
From Brittany to Polynesia, Gauguin traveled the world in search of pristine paradises to inspire him. In the process, he is constantly creating, experimenting with different styles, mediums and ideas. At the time of Gauguin's death, he had been absent from the Paris art scene for a full eight years, but he was not forgotten.
China National Geographic's recent series of books, The Great Artist: Gauguin, tells the story of this astonishing and unique artist who changed the rules of art and life. The Paper's special issue features a chapter titled "The Last Days in the Tropics."
Gauguin at His Easel 1885
Gauguin left Paris on 28 June 1895 and arrived in Papeete two months later. He never returned to Europe.
During the voyage, the ship stayed in Auckland, New Zealand, for ten days, where he visited the local Ethnological Museum and painted some of the statues and sculptures that are on display for Maori decorating wooden houses.
Nave Nave Mahana (Delicious Days) In 1896, a group of women were picking fruit, like residents of the original Garden of Eden. But this "paradise" is imbued with a melancholy atmosphere and conveyed through their gloomy and frustrated expressions. The flat and friez-like layout is reminiscent of the parthenon's festive parade queue, and Gauguin has a photograph of the parade scene.
After his last departure, Papeete has become very Westernized. Now, not only is the "Capital of Eden" electrified, but the lawn in front of the King's Garden is equipped with a carousel. Gauguin immediately said he was moving to the Marksas Islands, where "no European could be found," but he had actually left six years later. At this time, he lived in Punaauia, in eastern Papeete, and owned a house with a studio. Of course, he was not detached from society: he could travel to Papeete in a two-wheeled carriage to participate in colonial social events and maintain friendships with prominent French colonial families, such as the lawyer Auguste Goupil, who had asked him to paint portraits of his daughter. Gauguin maintained contact with France through the Most Famous Literary And Literary Critics, Mercurede France, and the monthly arrival of cruise ships. Life seemed to seem pleasant, and he wrote to William Morale of Paris: "It's a shame you're not here. I sat quietly in the cabin, facing the sea... Not too hot, not too cold. During the days he was gone, Timana got married, so he found a new lover, Pahura. She later bore Gauguin two children, one of whom died shortly after birth. He knew what his Friends in Europe would think of his abandonment of his European family, but he felt that Mett and the children had to get used to life without him. He did not believe that Mett was in a difficult situation, and he wrote to de Monfred: "I have made up my mind to live in my cottage, which is calm and peaceful. Oh yes, I'm a sinner, but what does it matter? The same goes for Michelangelo – and I'm not Michelangelo. ”
Portrait of a Young Woman 1896 This is Gauguin's portrait of Auguste Gupil's nine-year-old daughter. The figures in the painting pose traditionally, but in other ways they are different. Jeanne's eyes were hollow and pale, as if she were wearing a mask, and behind her was an over-decorated abstract background of pink and blue.
Created in a new studio
Gauguin focused on sculpture during his first year and made a nude statue. He placed the statue outside the house, much to the annoyance of the local priest. So he picked up the paintbrush again and picked up the subjects he had previously painted in Tahiti, including reclining nude statues, such as The King's Wife. He was so satisfied with the painting that he wrote to de Monfred: "I don't think I've ever painted a painting with such deep and evocative colors. He was meant to show "exuberant and unfettered nature", and the lush tropical vegetation was a prominent feature of his work at the time.
Te Arii Vahine (The King's Wife) In 1896 Gauguin incorporated Western reclining nude art into Polynesian painting. In this painting, a Tahitian girl lies in a thick wood, her posture reminiscent of Venus painted by German Renaissance artist Lucas Cranach Sr., and Manet's Olympia. The snake coiled around the tree is reminiscent of the snake in the Garden of Eden.
Some of the paintings chose the interior, such as "Never Again". This is yet another magnificent painting of a Tahitian female nude that echoes The Undead Snoop five years ago. Like the painting, the woman in the painting seems to be threatened. Two people in the background are whispering, and the bird that stays on the windowsill may refer to Edgar B. Ellen · Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven." The bird in the poem flies into the narrator's room and repeats "Never Again", but Gauguin insists that it is a demon bird of just value.
Never more 1897 Gauguin explains: "I want to use simple nudity to express some kind of barbaric luxury that existed in previous times. The whole painting is deliberately smeared with dull and sad colors. This sad emotion is also conveyed from the woman's expression, and the crow behind her and the whispering figures in the background accentuate the atmosphere.
Te Tamari no Atua (The Child of God) In 1896, Mary and the Holy Child, as well as nurses and attendants, are Polynesians, set in a Christian story. The nurse in the black turban is like "Tupapo" – a sinister Tahitian ghost who seems to be about to take the baby away. The painting may reflect the fact that Pahula gave birth to a child in December 1896, but the child died soon after.
The Son of God is a remarkable work that gives the Story of the Birth of Jesus in Christianity a Polynesian veneer. Gauguin was not concerned about the rivalry between Catholicism and Protestantism in French Polynesia, but he was interested in faiths and religions around the world and incorporated Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and Maori mythology into his artistic creations. He should have discovered that the mystery theme was growing in the circle of the French avant-garde symbolists, and he might have hoped to find a buyer there. The scene in "Dreamland" may be set in Gauguin's home, which also embodies motherhood: two characters sit quietly indoors, next to a swaddled baby. Gauguin wrote: "Everything in the painting is like a dream. Is it a child's dream, a mother's dream, a road rider's dream, or a painter's dream? ”
Te Rerioa (The Dream) In 1897 Gauguin was fascinated by his home in Polynesia, where he arranged various sculptures. The reliefs on the walls are of his own imagination and depict floral and animal motifs, as well as a couple embracing and goddess Xena. The prototype of the wooden cradle is a wood-carved bowl he saw at the Auckland Ethnographic Museum.
An ambitious masterpiece
Gauguin was not destitute, but after the initial profligacy, he had little left of his savings. It didn't take long for him to start writing letters to Lai's friends for help. He was depressed and his health was worrisome. Complications from his ankle after brittany's injury, coupled with growing syphilis and heart disease, led him to stay in the hospital in Papeete for a long time. In April 1897, when he learned of the death of his daughter Arlene from pneumonia, his condition became worse. Even in his predicament, he painted his largest-sized work—a huge four-meter-wide oil painting—"Where Do We Come From?" What are we? Where are we going? 》。
Where Are We From? What are we? Where are we going? 》Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? Gauguin said in a letter in 1897 that the painting came from a sleeping baby on the right (where do we come from?). At first, then there are characters who are thinking about human beings with problems (what are we?). ), and pass through the blue idol symbolizing the world on the other side, and finally end up with the woman on the far left – the woman who is going to die, who accepts her fate (where are we going?). ）。 The white bird that catches the lizard represents the paleness of language.
The painting's title hints at the major existential problems facing humanity and perhaps alludes to the origins of Pacific Islanders. These figures are all from his previous drawings or paintings, and they come together, not seemingly telling the same story, nor being in the same continuous space, but the whole picture has an irresistible sense of power and mystery. Gauguin considered it a philosophical work with a gospel-like theme that drew heavily on traditional European painting. The chrome yellow color in the upper left and upper right corners is reminiscent of a mural on a golden wall, and the corners of the wall have been mottled by the passage of time. The central figure comes from a painting copied by Gauguin at the Louvre, which was thought to have been written by Rembrandt at the time. He was picking fruit from a tree, a gesture reminiscent of Eve picking an apple from the tree of discernment between good and evil in the Garden of Eden. Some figures appear in Gauguin's other paintings, such as the old woman on the far left, which originally came from the Peruvian mummies that Gauguin saw at the Louvre.
Gauguin should have known that large-scale frescoes were being revived in France, and that artists he admired were collecting heavy sums of money to create decorative motifs, such as Pivi de Chavanne. Gauguin may have wanted to use the painting to show his achievements, to show that he could rival the artists of his generation and the great Italian muralists of the Renaissance. Perhaps, he also regarded the painting as his last work, because he was considering suicide at the time. He worked day and night, completing the painting in just one month, and was satisfied with the results. He wrote to de Monfred: "People will say that the painting is boring and unfinished. Judging my own work is really hard, but I believe that this painting is not only the best in my surviving works, but I will not paint better or similar works in the future. After completing this work, Gauguin hid in the mountains, taking an excessive amount of arsenic, but attempting suicide.
Faa Iheihe (Tahitian Pastoral) In 1898, like another painting that Gauguin was working on at the time, this work resembles a fresco inspired by the procession scenes of the Parthenon, and the shape of the pine cone is derived from the Borneo relief. Gauguin depicted the red-haired woman front and back, giving it a three-dimensional feel, reminiscent of his sculptural work.
In the winter of 1898, the great painting, along with other works such as the Tahitian Pastoral and The Villamatti, was exhibited in Ambrois Wallard's gallery in Paris. Although critics marveled at the use of color and shape in the paintings, Where Did We Come From? What are we? Where are we going? The allegories implied in the painting did not convince them, and the paintings sold for very low prices.
Journalist Gauguin
Despite Gauguin's constant departure from the loyal de L'École Monfried received paint, canvases and brushes, but his health and financial situation were deteriorating. In 1898, he copied architectural design drawings from the Public Works and Investigation Office in Papeete and earned 6 francs a day. However, his living conditions did not improve. Enraged, he ventured into journalism as an editor, author and illustrator of the satirical magazine The Smile and a writer for another publication, The Wasps. In a series of essays, Gauguin supported white Catholic settlers and opposed Protestant missionaries, criticizing the growing influence of Chinese merchants, incompetent colonial authorities, and French foreign policy. His vicious attacks in various publications have made him enemies.
Le Sourire This 1900 cartoon satirizes Gallet, the rounded governor of French Polynesia. The Governor rode on a horse that swung left and right, next to Gauguin dressed as a savage, with the masthead of Smile magazine printed on his head. Gauguin magazine wrote satirical articles and then used woodcut mastheads and cartoons as illustrations. Each issue of the magazine is roughly printed and has a circulation of no more than 30 copies. Life on the Marquesas Islands
In the spring of 1900, Ambrowaz Vorar's new assignment brought him a steady income, so he quit his job. However, he was required to regularly send paintings, drawings and prints to dealers in exchange for a monthly allowance of 300 francs and various creative materials. Now, he can finally fulfill his wish to move to the Makzas Islands! However, he was hospitalized repeatedly in Papeete and the date of his departure was forced to be postponed until September 1901. Gauguin was eager to move, fearing that the French public would become too familiar with his Tahiti themes and hoping that the Maquesas Islands would become his "new source of original inspiration."
Vairumati 1897 Veramati was a goddess in Tahiti's creation myth and appeared in many of Gauguin's works, including Where Did We Come From? What are we? Where are we going? 》。 In this painting, she sits on a golden bed or altar. When the painting was exhibited in Paris, the critic Thadée Natanson wrote: "The painter's style is no longer what we are accustomed to. ”
Life on the Marquesas Islands
Gauguin's new home, the Marquesas Islands, is a French colony 1,400 kilometers from Tahiti, but there are regular ships between the two places. Writers such as Pierre Loti and Jacque Jules Garnier described the Marquesas Islands as the exotic Garden of Eden inhabited by beautiful and happy inhabitants, as described in Garnier's Océanie (1871), but the French authorities considered the locals lawless and defiant of authority. They are also said to eat people (though this is likely a long-outdated claim, just to make fun of Europeans) and indulge in drunken revelry. Before 1800, the islanders flourished, but when Gauguin arrived, the population plummeted to about 4,000 due to colonists' plunder and rampant disease. However, they still retain vivid folklore, as well as a large decorative art tradition, which is reflected in their tattoos and carvings. The sexual freedom of the Maksas may have shocked the missionaries, but it had a natural appeal to Gauguin. He was very fond of settling in the "Cannibal Island", and although he felt that his time was short, he thought that the new home would "spark the last spark of enthusiasm in me before I die, ignite my imagination, and put an end to my talent".
The Sorcererer of Hiva Oa's 1902 painting features an ornate cloaked man who is an indigenous healer and musician who presides over religious ceremonies on Khivawa. Polynesians usually covered their legs with long skirts, but Gauguin exposed his legs and inserted a small bouquet of flowers behind his ears to add to his sexual appeal.
Gauguin settled in Attuona, a place of cliffs, volcanoes and lush forests, on the island of Hiva Oa, and bought a plot of land to build a house. Merchants and plantation owners welcomed him. Although there is no hospital in the area, Nguyen Van Cam, an exile from Vietnam, and a Protestant priest, Paul Van Cam, are in charge of the protestant priest. Paul Vernier was able to provide basic medical care, and Gauguin and the two became friends. Gauguin's neighbors were also very nice, and one of the Americans opened a shop where Gauguin could buy wine and absinthe imported from France. There was also an influential Marquessian Tioka, who gave his nephew to Gauguin as a servant. Gauguin, who almost ran counter to the authorities from the start, also challenged the Marquesas authorities on a number of issues, including questioning policies such as unheard-of taxes on the islanders, banning alcoholism, and forcing local children to attend Catholic schools to prevent them from indulging in alcoholism. Gauguin found that only children living within 4 kilometers were forced to attend school, which led to many girls being expelled from the monastery and unable to attend school. Marie-Rose Vaeoho was one of them, and she later became Gauguin's lover. A year later, she left Gauguin and gave birth to a child at her own home. A colonial official who came to check revealed that Gauguin defended "all the vices of the locality." Eventually, Gauguin angered the authorities and was put under surveillance. Officials have also initiated legal proceedings, fined him, threatened to sentence him, and even planned to deport him.
The Ford (aka Escape) In 1901, later in Gauguin's career, he created paintings with the themes of cavalry and travelers in Marksus. The man on a white horse and hood resembles "Tupapo", a Tahitian ghost that appears in many of Gauguin's paintings. He also bore some resemblance to the knights in Albrecht Dürer's engraving Knight, Death and the Devil. Gauguin owns a replica of the painting.
However, Gauguin's expectations that moving would bring him new artistic achievements did not fail. During the last two years of his life, he used morphine, opium tincture and alcohol to relieve leg pain and endured deteriorating vision. Despite this, he still created extremely beautiful works. He said: "The poetry here is constantly emerging, and you can just wander in the dream and draw it." Some of the paintings were inspired directly by the island's landscapes, such as "Shoal," which depicts figures riding through the woods, and "Riders on the Beach." He also depicts two distinct Marquesas people, Tokhotaya and Haapuani, who are different from those he depicts in Tahiti. Tohotauya was a beautiful red-haired woman who sat in Gauguin's studio and was photographed, on which Gauguin later painted a spectacular portrait. Hapuwani, a dancer, magician, and possibly Tokhotaya's husband, wore a red cloak and posed as a wizard in front of Gauguin.
Riders on the Beach In 1902, riders gathered on the beaches of Atuona to exchange ideas and deliver messages. The graceful posture of the horses in the painting is reminiscent of the horse racing and jockey of the Longchamp Racecourse in Degas's painting, and Gauguin has always admired these paintings of Degas. The two characters in the background are not from Europe, but the turbaned "Tupapo", the Demon King.
The soul of an old friend
Gauguin's surroundings were idyllic, but he was unable to discuss and communicate with his friends in Europe. So he wrote long letters, trivial memoirs, and reflections on life and art, which he called Avant et Après (Before and After).
Some of his still lifes feature former friends, which are almost their portraits. D· Monfried sent sunflower seeds, and when the sunflowers were in full bloom in the garden, Gauguin painted a still life of the sunflowers and picked up the love for Van Vincent. High and memories of the "Yellow House". Another sunflower still life painting features a mask-like face in the background, an exaggerated version of Meyer de Blair. Hahn. German · Hahn, an old friend of his and one of his students at Brittany, died seven years ago. D· Hahn also appears in Tales of the Barbarians, portrayed as a demon, shortly before Gauguin's death, in dire health, at odds with the Authorities of Marquesas, and forced into debt by creditors, so he considered returning to Europe. He reflects on how he embarked on the path of a lonely artist, while also being proud that he could withstand the severe test. In a letter to Charles Morris, he said: "Loneliness is not for everyone, because you have to be strong enough to endure and go your own way." "De · Monfred advised him not to come back: "Now you are the legendary artist, going deep into Polynesia and sending back a thrilling, incomparable work... Your enemies (like all others who upset mediocre people, your enemies are numerous) are now silent... You can never come back. You have now become a great dead man. You have left a name in art history. ”
De Monfred is a proverb. On May 8, 1903, Gauguin's neighbor, Teoka, found himself dead in bed from a heart attack. The funeral was hurried, and the next day he was buried in the Catholic cemetery in Attuona. Today, a bronze statue of Overiri guards his grave.
postscript
At the time of Gauguin's death, he had been absent from the Paris art scene for a full eight years, but he was not forgotten. Six months later, Ambrowaz Wallard held an exhibition of Gauguin's work. At that time, not only did great artists such as Degas participate in the exhibition, but also young artists, such as Andrea Bergeron, also came. André Derain, Raoul Dufy and Henri Matisse. Inspired by Gauguin, Matisse also made a trip to Tahiti in 1930. Gauguin's bold use of unnatural vivid colors, as well as the bold and minimalist composition and highly decorative nature of his work, were a revelation for them. Gauguin's fascination with non-Western art led him to anticipate that the next generation of artists would embrace the concept of "primitivism" and would revolutionize the "straightforward" qualities of non-Western arts and crafts that would bring their work back to life. The most important of these artists was Pablo Picasso, who had a copy of Where is the Passion of Life and visited Gauguin's retrospective at the Autumn Salon in Paris in 1906. Overweri shook him, sparking his interest in sculpture and ceramics, and inspiring him to explore "primitive" forms in his seminal painting The Maiden of Avignon.
China National Geographic book series "The Great Artist: Gauguin" book shadow
In 1910, Roger M. Roger Fry's work on Gauguin at the Grafton Galleries' exhibition Manet and the Post-Impressionists immediately attracted great interest, ranging from sneering to admiration. The following year, Stafford Gallery in Mayfair exhibited the work of Cézanne and Gauguin, which attracted widespread attention. Frederick P. Spencer · Frederick Spencer Gore painted a painting depicting the exhibition, in which the British artist Augustus Gore appeared. Augustus John and Philip Wilson · Philip Wilson Steer, which shows that British art institutions are also increasingly appreciating Gauguin's work. Gao's life also left a rich legacy in literature. In 1914, Somerset Maugham followed Gauguin to Tahiti.
China National Geographic book series "The Great Artist: Gauguin" book shadow
His novel The Moon and Six pence was based on Gauguin and generated great interest in the life and work of this extraordinary transatlantic artist. After suffering a heavy blow in the First World War, Gauguin's rejection of European civilization and his flight to Polynesia were of great charm. Since then, Gauguin's colorful canvases and imaginary paradises have never diminished in their appeal to the masses.
(Note: This article was originally published in China's National Geographic series of books": The Great Artist: Gauguin, which was edited by The Paper.) ）
Editor-in-Charge: Li Mei
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