1892, English, Art work edition: Manao Tupapau; The Specter Watches over Her Gauguin, Paul, 1848-1903

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Manao Tupapau; The Specter Watches over Her
 
Bookmark: http://trove.nla.gov.au/version/239668
Physical Description
  • Cross-Platform, 368.982 KB
  • Slide
Published
  • 1892 AD
Language
  • English

Edition details

Title
  • Manao Tupapau; The Specter Watches over Her
Creator
  • Gauguin, Paul, 1848-1903
Other Creators
  • Brigham Young University
Published
  • 1892 AD
Physical Description
  • Cross-Platform, 368.982 KB
  • Slide
Subjects
Notes
  • Manao Tupapau (The Specter Watches over Her), painted in 1892, exemplifies Paul Gauguin’s distinct, style that reveals his interest in the supposed primitive cultures and lifestyle of non-western societies. In 1891, the French painter, printmaker and sculptor journeyed to Tahiti in search of novel subject matter and a more economical lifestyle; however his view of an idyllic, primitive society was disillusioned by his exposure to what he saw as the corrupting influence of French colonization among the Tahitian natives. Yet, he still attempted to immerse himself in the traditional art and cultural practices. Painted during his first trip to Tahiti (from 1891–93), this image reveals how Gauguin incorporated the native art and customs of the South Pacific into his art, both in style and choice of subject matter as well as using Tahitian titles. The subject reveals his interest in the relations between the spiritual and physical world, a popular theme in the nineteenth-century, especially in the Symbolist movement in which Gauguin somewhat participated. The painting depicts his teenage mistress, Tehamana, lying naked on a bed alone in her home, terrified as she imagines herself surrounded by ghosts. In Noa Noa (1897), a semi-fictional account of his Tahitian experience, Gauguin described the event that inspired this painting. One night he returned to his home shrouded in darkness and as he lit a match he met the sight of his mistress “… immobile, naked, lying face downward flat on the bed with the eyes inordinately large with fear. She looked at me and seemed not to recognize me.” This work demonstrates his interest in portraying a subjective reality based on emotions rather than observing and copying the real world. Gauguin often employed vibrant colors and experimental brushwork to evoke certain sentiments in the viewer and here he captures the fear and supernatural feel of the girl’s hallucination with the pink and purple scenery that contains white flower-like designs. The rudimentary outlining and crude, simplified figure match Gauguin’s vision of a mystical, primitive world far removed from sophisticated French society. Behind the frightened girl stands a black ghost resembling a traditional wooden statue. This portrayal of his mistress is Gauguin’s own interpretation of the erotic motif of a reclining female nude seen in so many nineteenth-century pieces; however, her immaturity and positioning on her stomach instead of her back are unusual and add to the scene’s mystery.
  • civ metadata CID; Civ Archive 048 correct picture; 99101249.jpg
  • S:\PROJECTS\Civilization Digital Lib\Final Source\Resource Documents\Images\CD Archive 048\99101249.jpg
Source
  • H.H. Arnason, History of Modern Art: painting, sculpture, architecture, photography 4th ed. (New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1998), 479-80; Fred S. Kleiner and Christin Mamiya, Gardner's Art Through the Ages, 12th ed., vol 2 (2005), 880-882.
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Language
  • English
Contributed by
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