Discover Paris Through a New Lens: Top 8 Fun Facts You Didn't Know about Paul Gauguin

1. Jack of All Trades

Before he shook the art world like a paint-filled snow globe, Paul Gauguin was a jack of all trades but never a dull boy: This diverse connoisseur dabbled as a seminarist, navy man, stockbroker, art collector, and travelling salesman, even working on the Panama Canal's construction before becoming a full-time artist extraordinaire.
Source => theguardian.com

2. Tahitian Fib

Hold on to your coconuts, Gauguin's Tahitian paradise was a bit of an island fib: While his paintings portrayed unrealistically vibrant colors and scenes in Tahiti, it's argued that only those who haven't visited the island would dispute his ability to capture its true essence with his unique color palette.
Source => magazine.stregis.com

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=> Fun Facts about Claude-Monet

3. Sunflower Rivals

When van Gogh and Gauguin went ear-to-ear in a short-lived rivalry, it was painting sunflowers that brought them both to Arles: Their intense friendship lasted just 63 days, marked by competition (and ear-severing) before dissolving as Gauguin sought a ticket back to the Caribbean and left behind an amused caricature of van Gogh's "The Night Cafe in the Place Lamartine in Arles." Turns out, he had avidly admired van Gogh's bountiful bloom of sunflower series.
Source => biography.com

4. The Burlap Canvas

If you think the grass is greener on the other side, imagine how Paul Gauguin felt when he thought that "canvas" was far too mundane: He sometimes used burlap instead! This impassioned artist sought deep spirituality through his artwork, finding inspiration in nature – right down to his preference for pure, unmixed colors. Gauguin jumbled complementary colors like a mad scientist to create arousal in his paintings, which often focused more on serenity and spiritual themes rather than traditional subject matter.
Source => yalebooks.yale.edu

5. Renaissance Party Man

Before he said "Au revoir" to stockbroking and "Bonjour" to painting everything but the kitchen sink (literally!), Paul Gauguin partied with secret societies in Peru as a child, rocked Paris as a financial guru, and dabbled in journalism with no trace of dentistry ambitions: This well-rounded renaissance man ultimately turned his talents to painting, sculptures, ceramics, and printmaking, becoming one of the most influential artists in history.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Mythology Millionaire

If Paul Gauguin were a contestant on "Who Wants to be a Mythology Millionaire?", he would've rocked those final questions with style: As a painter, Gauguin's oeuvre melded religious themes with inspirations from diverse cultural backgrounds, including Polynesian and African spirituality. Most famously, his masterpiece "Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?" serves as a picturesque depiction of a philosophical and spiritual journey through life, transcending his own Catholic upbringing.
Source => thegreatcat.org

7. Wooden Wonders

As Picasso might say, "Gauguin, my wooden-t you know, brah?": Paul Gauguin, known for his vivid and exotic paintings, also dabbled in sculpting with a series of wooden masterpieces inspired by his time in Tahiti, capturing the essence of the people and traditional motifs, with a raw, unfinished charm that set them apart from the refined marble creations of his peers.
Source => artsy.net

8. Midlife Crisis Adventures

If you think your midlife crisis was wild, wait till you hear about Paul Gauguin's tropical adventures: This famous French Post-Impressionist painter ditched his family, sailed away to exotic locations like Tahiti and the Marquesas Islands, and even struck up a controversial relationship with a 13-year-old Tahitian girl, all while creating some of the most iconic art of the era.
Source => biography.com