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Date : approx. between 1895 and 1897
Material : Wood
| Item 6 on 10
European Painting
Sculpture (Head)
Area related
Tahiti
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| Description |  |
Gauguin carved this sculpture in Tahiti, where he sought the inspiration of unspoiled and exotic cultures. He created his own idols, such as this one, influenced by local myths. Here Gauguin mixed his own features with those of a Polynesian, presenting himself as an "uncorrupted" native. The horns resemble a hairstyle -bunched in knots on either side of the head- worn by young Tahitian men as an expression of power. This highly personal, quasimystical depiction is typical of Symbolist art.
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