123. Where Do We Come From? What Are We?Where Are We Going? Paul Gauguin. 1897-1898 CE Oil on canvas.
Content
The story of life, read right to left
Right: birth, infant, and three adults–the beginning of life
Center: mid life; picking of the fruit of the world
Left: death; the old woman seems resigned
The blue idol with arms half-raised represents “The Beyond”
The figures in foreground represent Tahiti and an Eden-like paradise; background figures are anguished, darkened figures
Context
Title of the painting poses more questions than it answers
Gauguin thought the painting was a summation of his artistic and personal expression. Painted during his second stay in Tahiti between 1895-1901
Gauguin suffered from poor health and poverty, obsessed by thoughts of death
He learned of the death of his daughter, Aline, in April 1897 and was deeply shaken; he was determined to commit suicide and have this painting be his artistic last will and testament
Influences
Many nontraditional influences
Egyptian figures used for inspiration
Japanese prints in solid fields of color and unusual angles
