Gauguin (20) Paul Gauguin (1848-1903)

In the painting Gauguin (20) (also known as Te Avei No Maria), a young Tahitian woman with dark hair stands in a lush, somewhat dreamlike outdoor setting. She is dressed in simple, draped white and blue garments that reveal her bare feet. She holds a bouquet of light-colored flowers in her hands, which are clasped together at chest level. Her head is bowed, and her gaze is directed downwards, suggesting a sense of introspection, shyness, or perhaps sorrow.

Behind her, to the left, is a large, reddish-brown, semi-abstract form that resembles a sculpture or a mound of earth, possibly inspired by Polynesian carvings or natural rock formations. A tree with bright red fruit grows to the left of this form. Above and behind the woman, vibrant pink flowers bloom on leafy branches, contrasting with the intense yellow background that permeates the upper portion of the painting. The ground is depicted in darker, earthier tones, with small patches of yellow suggesting sunlight dappling through the foliage.

The paintings inscription at the bottom left reads TE AVEI NO MARIA and Paul Gauguin, 1893.

Subtexts:

• Spiritual and Mystical Undertones: The title Te Avei No Maria translates from Tahitian to The Woman of the Heavenly Garden or The Tree of Paradise. This biblical allusion, combined with the floral imagery and the womans contemplative pose, suggests themes of purity, innocence, perhaps even a representation of Eve or a sacred figure in a paradise-like setting. Gauguin often blended Polynesian mythology, local beliefs, and his own syncretic spirituality in his work.
• Symbolism of Nature: The abundance of fruit and flowers, along with the vibrant colors, emphasizes the lushness and fertility of nature in a tropical environment. However, the somewhat stylized and flattened rendering of the forms, characteristic of Gauguins post-Impressionist style, transforms nature into a symbolic landscape rather than a purely naturalistic depiction.
• Exoticism and the Noble Savage Trope: Painted during Gauguins second sojourn in Tahiti, the artwork is a product of his fascination with non-Western cultures. While intended to portray a view of unspoiled, spiritual existence, it also reflects 19th-century European colonial perspectives, often romanticizing and exoticizing indigenous peoples and their ways of life, sometimes referred to as the noble savage trope.
• Melancholy and Solitude: The womans downcast gaze and solitary presence might convey a sense of sadness, longing, or contemplative isolation. Gauguins Tahitian paintings frequently explore the emotional states of his subjects, often depicting them with a quiet dignity and a touch of melancholy, which can be interpreted as a reflection of his own feelings of alienation and spiritual searching.
• Juxtaposition of the Sacred and the Earthly: The presence of the monolithic, almost idol-like form next to the woman and the fruit from the tree could be interpreted as a juxtaposition of ancient spiritual powers or totemic symbols with the human element and the fruits of nature.