Special Exhibitions
Inventive Impressions
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Special Exhibitions |
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Inventive Impressions |
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Paul Gauguin (French, 1848-1903) Between 1896 and 1900 Gauguin worked on a text, L'Espirit modern et le catholicisme, that attempted to reconcile the gospels of the New Testament with the spirit of modern science. Gauguin, who wanted to create an ideal, mythic universe where ancient and modern traditions of the East, West, and Oceania merged, had an extensive knowledge of comparative religion. Since Gauguin believed in the power of images as carriers of ideas, he created 14 woodcuts (1898-99) that are the visual equivalents of parables or fables, the most elementary modes of instruction to begin the process of enlightenment.In his quest for a universal religion, Gauguin mixed Christian and Polynesian imagery. While's Eve's gesture of modesty recalls earlier representations of the Expulsion from Eden, the disembodied hooded head, the tupapau (the evil spirit that could haunt Tahitians), and the rat--considered to be the shadows of ghosts--are Polynesian symbols. Combining Eve, an image of guilt and violation, with Tahitian symbols of death, increases the potency of this scene. Page 5 of 9 | On the next page: Jean-François Janinet (French, 1752-1814) |
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