Paul Gauguin Where Do We Come From? Where Are We Going Essay

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Paul Gauguin, a French Post-Impressionist artist, tried to commit suicide in December, 1897 during his second stay in Tahiti. At that time, he did not have enough money to treat himself, and miserably, he was abandoned by people who owned his money, so his mental and physical conditions were poor. Moreover, In April 1897, he got news from his wife, Mette. There was written that his daughter Aline, who is only twenty, was dead due to pneumonia. Gauguin was absolutely depressed at this news and seriously thinking to kill himself. Before leaving the world, he wished and attempted to paint his last great testamentary masterpiece, Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? which is one of his most famous artworks. He said, “I wanted …show more content…

He put his all strength and energy into the largest single artwork. His most ambitious masterpiece, Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? Paul Gauguin, who attempted to commit suicide after completing to draw the masterpiece, implied various meanings in this work. The painting, which is widely recognized as one of the best masterpieces in his works, is depicted about appearances and life of local people living in Tahiti. Gauguin believed that Tahiti was the last paradise for mankind. The artwork is so superbly organized into three scenes. People with three scenes are drawn from right to left in painting represents a title of this work. Firstly, the three people depicted with a baby on the right side of the screen represent the beginning of life. Behind them, there are two women, supporting each other's body, confide their thoughts to each other. A huge crouching figure, showing its back, raising its arm, and staring at these two women, think of their destiny and is surprised. The scene represents the title, Where Do We Come From? Secondly, each person in the middle means adulthood. The scene represents …show more content…

For instance, the two shaded figures by the tree of knowledge are used from Te Arii Vahine (The King’s Wife) created in 1848 - 1903. The old woman accepting the death on the left are derived from a lot of his earlier works, and the example of one of these works is Soyez amoureuses vous serez heureuses (Be In Love and You Will Be Happy) drawn in 1889. In addition, the child who is eating a fruit looks like a child in Nave nave mahana (Delightful Days), depicted in 1896. The two women who are squatting on the right, look their faces front are sisters of those that are referred from Nafea fas ipoipo (When will you marry) created in 1892. Also, the girl with a faint smile on her rips next to the old woman, learning on one hand, is staring at a mysterious white bird beside her, are depicted from Vairumati, which is the name of Tahitian goddess, drawn in 1879. There is also a white mysterious bird beside the woman in the artwork. Thus, he used the actual figures which he depicted in his earlier artwork to draw his most ambitious

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