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Paul Gauguin, A Wide Array of Identities
Presenting himself by turns as a nobleman, an Indian or a primitive, Gauguin emerges as a master of mystification whose many identities invite deconstruction
New generations of historians enjoy dismantling the mythical figure of the brilliant exiled artist who presented himself as a savage. Gauguin lends himself to this exercise: behind his apparent 'primitivism', he retained the habits of a white man in a French colony. However, deconstruction can sometimes obscure the truth about this whimsical painter and adventurer who refused to embrace the Parisian bohemia.
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