GAUGUIN - VOYAGE DE TAHITI
France, 2017, 101 minutes Colour.
Vincent Cassell, Tuhei Adams, Malik's Zidi.
Directed by Edouard Deluc.
Paul Gauguin is best remembered for his work in French Polynesia, in Tahiti, the Marquises. Spending some time there in the 1880s, he returned to France, was associated with Vincent van Gogh as well as many of the prominent artists in Paris. He was married, with a large number of children.
On his return, he tried to persuade artist friends as well as his wife and children to come with him again to Tahiti. The artists thought it was too far away and too difficult. His wife complained of the squalor in which they lived.
Nevertheless, he returned, rather ill but going into the mountains to find the locals, to commune with nature, to hunt and gather, to talk some of the local language, to share in French, to hear the stories of the gods and creation and to paint. His health improved. The local people also wanted him to take a wife and designated a young woman with whom he conversed, learning the different myths of the people, a testing time of one month. She then became his wife.
He then returned to the capital, his health improved, he had done some paintings and was also involved in chiselling images in wood. He had a young associate who was creative in carving, but was able to outsell his master to the passing tourist trade. The young man also had eyes for the artist’s wife, following her from church one day with the artist following, angry, with his gun but not shooting.
Paul Gauguin also kept his wife inside, locked, wearing European dress, having formal meals with European food and cutlery. To get money he worked as a wharf labourer.
No money came from France so ultimately he was repatriated as a poor man. However, he was soon to return to the islands and paint for another 10 years, classic paintings but he was to die in poverty.
He gained a considerable reputation in the 20th century.
1. The Status of Paul Gauguin as an artist? In the 19th century? Dying in poverty 1903? Becoming a classic 19th century artist in retrospect? His vision of Polynesia and Polynesian people?
2. Audience knowledge of Paul Gauguin, how much necessary to find the film interesting and entertaining? The background of his marriage, his large family, his going to Tahiti, his painting, the exhilaration, wanting to return, urging his French artist friends, urging his wife, their refusal? His wife disgusted with the poverty of their lodgings? His need of money? His decision to go, his hopes? His ambitions, being in touch with nature? The French theory of the “Noble Savage�? His art?
3. The period of the film, two years, symbolic of his time into French Polynesia? His poor health, the interviews with the doctor, the warnings, his decision to travel into the mountains, to find the people? Joining them, welcomed, issues of language, some French, some local language? Hunting, gathering? Eating better food? The improvement in his health? His being urged to take a wife, her explanation of the myths of creation and the different gods and partners? The test for 30 days?
4. His return to the capital, the interviews with the doctor, his better health, development of his art, the children wasting the paints, his need for canvas, his indebtedness to the owner of the store? The young man, his assistant? Chiselling the trunks of the trees? Paul Gauguin instructing? But Is Not selling any of his work, having to bargain? The young man and his Polynesian salesman, profit, respectability? Suit and tie?
5. The religious background of France of the 19th century, Gauguin’s religious themes, his despising the church? The locals all going to church, special clothes, the priest, the hymns, his wife wanting a dress, wanting to go to church?
6. His having to work as a labourer, the motives for his locking up his wife at home, her subservience, yet looking out the window? Pregnancy and miscarriage?
7. His wife going to church, the young man following her, Paul Gauguin and following them, discovering them, his anger, the gun, not shooting?
8. Sending the paintings to friends? Sharing comradeship with the doctor? No money coming from France? His desperation, behaviour towards locals? His wife wearing a local dress, using customary for meals, formal?
9. His paintings, his hopes, his being repatriated as a poor man?
10. The information, his return, spending a decade, his paintings and their status, his credibility, the landscapes, the people, bringing Polynesia to life? His dying penniless?
