Isabella Flores
Paul Gauguin's paintings of Tahitian women are famous for their depictions of native women in various states of dress, often in an ideal, unspoiled paradise. Gauguin's work is known for its symbolism, synthetism/cloisonism, and primitivism, reflecting his search for a primitive and pure lifestyle away from modern France and European materialism. The women in his paintings are often portrayed as mysterious, with deep amber skin and powerful physiques, challenging European notions of beauty. Gauguin's Tahitian works have been criticised for their colonial perspective and potential exploitation of native culture, perpetuating myths of exoticism.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Paul Gauguin |
| Painting | Tahitian Women on the Beach |
| Year | 1891 |
| Colours | Orange, yellow, pink, ocher, deep reds, turquoises, browns |
| Style | Symbolism, synthetism/cloisonism, primitivism |
| Subjects | Two Tahitian women, one wearing a traditional sarong, the other a missionary dress |
| Meaning | Reflects Gauguin's search for "ecstasy, calm, and art" away from European materialism |
| Criticism | Exploits native "savageness" and reflects colonial imperialism |
| Painting | Two Tahitian Women |
| Year | 1899 |
| Subjects | Two topless women, one holding mango blossoms |
| Criticism | Confrontational gazes of the women, perpetuating myths of exotic landscapes and enticing women |
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What You'll Learn
The women's features
Paul Gauguin's paintings of Tahitian women are notable for their depiction of female figures in a style that challenges European notions of femininity and masculinity, as well as civilised and primitive cultures. Gauguin's work often portrayed Tahitian women as mysterious, with deep amber-coloured skin and powerful physiques, making them almost androgynous. Their faces, described as mask-like, shift the focus away from portraiture and towards genre.
Gauguin's paintings, such as "Tahitian Women on the Beach" (1891) and "Two Tahitian Women" (1899), showcase the rich history of Tahiti through the clothing of the female subjects. One woman wears a traditional sarong or pareu, while the other wears a missionary dress, indicating the enduring presence of Christian missionaries and the influence of Western culture. The women's poses also convey different states of being, with one sitting idly, and the other engaged in the daily duty of weaving a basket, reflecting the calmness of the lagoon and the movement of the sea.
The colours employed by Gauguin in his Tahitian works include orange, yellow, pink, ocher, deep reds, turquoises, and browns, arranged in ornamental patterns. This ornamental style, along with the use of diagonal lines and simplified shapes, is typical of symbolism, synthetism (or cloisonism), and primitivism. Gauguin's unique style reduces the sense of a real, observable subject, instead emphasising the inner, symbolic poetry of his subjects.
Gauguin's Tahitian paintings have been criticised for their reflection of colonial imperialism and the exploitation of native "savageness". However, they also challenge existing ideas about femininity and paradise, presenting a romantic visual enjoyment of the harmony between female figures and their natural surroundings. The artist's works, with their juxtaposition of opposite conceptions, encourage viewers to embrace ambivalent responses to art and to explore the distinctions between feminine and masculine, civilised and primitive.
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Symbolism and synthetism
Paul Gauguin's paintings of Tahitian women are renowned for their symbolism and synthetism. Synthetism, a term Gauguin coined himself, was derived from cloisonism, which used dark lines to separate flat sections of colours to reduce the sense of a real, observable subject and instead focus on the inner, symbolic poetry of it. Gauguin's paintings of Tahitian women are a prime example of synthetism, with the use of diagonal lines in the ocher and yellow paint zones, as well as white lines in the background separating the green and blue, creating a sense of mystery and the unknown. The Tahitian women in his paintings are often depicted with deep amber-coloured skin and powerful physiques, challenging European notions of beauty and paradise.
Gauguin's use of symbolism and synthetism in his paintings of Tahitian women is also evident in the way he portrays the women's features and expressions. The women's faces often resemble masks, with melancholy expressions, reflecting the silence and mystery of Tahiti. Gauguin's use of synthetic lines and simplified shapes influenced by Manet, whom he admired, further adds to the symbolic and mysterious nature of his paintings.
The symbolism in Gauguin's paintings of Tahitian women goes beyond just the technical aspects of his artwork. The women are often depicted in a state of aloof indolence, not engaged in any work, which has been interpreted as a reflection of the silence and mystery of Tahiti that Gauguin experienced during his time there. The clothing of the women also carries symbolic meaning, with one woman wearing a traditional native pareu and the other a missionary dress, indicating the presence of French colonial influence and Christian missionary efforts on the islands.
Gauguin's personal experiences and perspectives also influenced the symbolism in his paintings. The Tahitian goddess Hina, often depicted in his works, has been interpreted as a reflection of Gauguin's own search for a new life and romance in Tahiti, analogous to Hina's legendary quest for true love. Gauguin's paintings of Tahitian women have been criticised for their exploitative nature, with some art historians viewing them as a reflection of colonial imperialism and a primitivist view of the native "savageness".
Overall, Gauguin's paintings of Tahitian women are a powerful example of his innovative use of symbolism and synthetism. Through his unique style and subject matter, Gauguin challenged contemporary notions of femininity, masculinity, and the relationship between the civilised and the primitive.
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Colonialism and indigenous culture
Paul Gauguin's paintings of Tahitian women are notable for their exploration of themes such as femininity, masculinity, and the relationship between the civilized and the primitive. Gauguin's work often depicted Tahitian women as mysterious, exotic, and erotic, perpetuating myths about Tahitian culture. While Gauguin's paintings can be appreciated for their artistic value, they have also been criticized for their exploitative nature and for silencing the voices of indigenous women.
Gauguin travelled to Tahiti, a French colony at the time, in search of "ecstasy, calm, and art", hoping to escape European materialism and find a simpler way of life. He was intrigued by the "savageness" he believed existed within himself and sought to discover it in Tahiti. This notion of "savageness" is indicative of Gauguin's colonial mindset and the assumptions he carried with him about the indigenous people of Tahiti.
Gauguin's paintings often juxtaposed Tahitian women dressed in traditional attire with those influenced by Western culture, highlighting the duality of Tahitian society at the time. In his painting "Tahitian Women on the Beach," one woman wears a traditional sarong while the other wears a missionary dress, symbolizing the enduring presence of Christian missionary efforts and French colonial influence. This duality is also reflected in the foreground and background of the painting, with the calmness of the lagoon contrasting with the movement of the sea.
Gauguin's work challenged European notions of beauty and paradise by depicting Tahitian women with deep amber-colored skin, powerful physiques, and androgynous features. These women were often portrayed as distant and elusive, challenging existing ideas about femininity and sexuality. Gauguin's paintings also incorporated religious and cultural elements of Tahitian mythology, such as the Polynesian goddess Hina, further enriching the understanding of Tahitian indigenous culture.
While Gauguin's paintings of Tahitian women have been criticized for perpetuating colonial stereotypes and silencing indigenous voices, they have also sparked important conversations about the complex relationship between colonialism and indigenous culture. They invite viewers to question their assumptions about art and reflect on the impact of colonial influence. As viewers of art, it is essential to approach these paintings with a critical eye, recognizing the potential for exploitation while also appreciating the artistic techniques and the window they offer into the complex dynamics between colonialism and indigenous culture.
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Gauguin's Tahitian life
Paul Gauguin's first trip to Tahiti took place between 1891 and 1893. He travelled to the French colony in search of "ecstasy, calm, and art", away from European materialism. Gauguin was disappointed to find that French colonial influence had already changed island life. To escape this, he moved to the district of Mataiea, where he met his Tahitian wife, Teha'amana.
Gauguin's paintings of Tahitian women are his most well-known works. They depict native Tahitian women in various states of undress, often in an ideal, unspoiled paradise. Gauguin's works challenge European notions of femininity, masculinity, and civilisation through their depictions of androgynous, powerful female figures. The paintings also reflect Gauguin's interest in primitivism, which is also reflected in his sculptures.
Gauguin's paintings of Tahitian women include Two Tahitian Women (1899), which depicts two topless women, one holding mango blossoms. The painting is part of the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Another painting, Tahitian Women on the Beach, was constructed towards the end of Gauguin's first trip to Tahiti. It depicts two Tahitian women sitting statically, one wearing traditional native clothing and the other wearing a missionary dress, indicating the enduring presence of Christian missionaries on the islands. The painting blends the reality of Gauguin's observations with a mystical world, reflecting his interest in the "primitive".
Gauguin's depictions of Tahitian women have been criticised as a "racial fantasy forged from a position of patriarchal, colonialist power", with critics pointing to his sexual relationships with teenage Tahitian girls. However, Gauguin's biographers have described him as believing in gender and cultural equity, following local Polynesian customs, and defending the locals against French colonialist oppression.
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The Polynesian goddess Hina
Hina is known by various names, including Sina, Hanaiakamalama, Ina, and Hine, and she holds a significant place in Polynesian mythology, folklore, and culture. She is often associated with Maui, the mischievous trickster god, and Tuna, the eel god. In some myths, Maui is her husband, in others, her brother, and in some, her son. Hina's most prominent myth involves her descent into the underworld, where she faces and overcomes numerous challenges, emerging with greater wisdom and power. This myth symbolises the human experience of facing adversity and the cyclical nature of life and death.
In Tahitian myth, Hina is a legendary figure, known for her valiant pursuit of true love. Her story is analogous to the experiences of the artist Paul Gauguin, who travelled to Tahiti in search of a new life and romance. Gauguin often included the figure of Hina in his paintings, reflecting his interest in primitive and indigenous culture.
Hina is also associated with the moon in Polynesian mythology. In some legends, she ascends to the moon, becoming known as the "Woman in the Moon." This myth is found in various forms among different Polynesian island groups, including Samoa, New Zealand, Tonga, and the Hervey Islands. The Polynesian name for the moon, Mahina or Masina, is derived from Hina, further emphasising her significance in Polynesian culture.
Throughout Polynesia, Hina is revered and honoured in rituals, ceremonies, and festivals, where devotees offer prayers and seek her blessings for abundance, fertility, and spiritual enlightenment. The worship of Hina is a long-standing tradition among the Hawaiian people, and her stories serve as a unifying force across Polynesia, particularly in the Hawaiian Islands.
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Frequently asked questions
Gauguin's paintings of Tahitian women are often associated with symbolism, synthetism/cloisonism, and primitivism. Gauguin's work during this period is characterised by simplified shapes, ornamental patterns, and vivid colours.
Gauguin's paintings of Tahitian women explore themes such as sexuality, spirituality, and the relationship between the feminine and the masculine, and the civilised and the primitive. Gauguin's work also reflects his interest in escaping modern France and European materialism, and his search for a ""primitive paradise".
Gauguin often depicted Tahitian women in various states of dress, performing daily tasks, or sitting statically. The women in his paintings are often described as mysterious, androgynous, and elusive. Gauguin's work also reflects the influence of French colonialism on Tahiti.
Some of Gauguin's paintings of Tahitian women include "Tahitian Women on the Beach" (1891), "Parau Api" (1892), "Two Tahitian Women" (1899), and "Merahi metua no Tehamana" (1893).
Gauguin's paintings of Tahitian women have been criticised for perpetuating myths about Tahiti and its people, particularly exoticising and eroticising the women. His work has also been accused of exploiting and silencing the indigenous women he portrayed. Despite this, Gauguin's paintings of Tahitian women are some of his most praised and well-known works.
