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Nicholas Thomas's 'Gauguin and Polynesia' Revisits Artist's Controversial Legacy and Colonial Imagery

publication · 2026-04-20

In 'Gauguin and Polynesia,' Nicholas Thomas delves into Paul Gauguin's contentious period in Polynesia, steering clear of straightforward justification. As the director of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Cambridge, Thomas scrutinizes Gauguin's experiences and creations from his 1890s travels, confronting claims of cultural appropriation, paedophilia, and the introduction of syphilis, which trace back to Camille Pissarro's 1893 critiques. He counters arguments from critics such as Griselda Pollock and Abigail Solomon-Godeau, asserting that Polynesian culture was not 'effectively destroyed' prior to Gauguin's arrival. The analysis also critiques Gauguin's misinterpretations, citing his memoirs 'Noa Noa' (1901) and 'Avant et Après' (1903), along with the 2010 Tate Modern exhibition. Thomas concludes that Gauguin's work is 'contradictory in the deepest possible sense.' The book is published by Apollo at £40.

Key facts

  • Nicholas Thomas's book 'Gauguin and Polynesia' revisits Paul Gauguin's controversial Polynesian period.
  • Thomas is director of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Cambridge and an expert in Polynesian art.
  • Accusations against Gauguin include cultural appropriation, paedophilia, and introducing syphilis to the South Seas.
  • Camille Pissarro criticized Gauguin in 1893 for 'pillaging the savages of Oceania.'
  • Critics Griselda Pollock and Abigail Solomon-Godeau viewed Gauguin's work as racist, colonialist fantasies.
  • Thomas argues that Polynesian adoption of Western dress, like the muumuu, was an expression of agency.
  • Gauguin's painting 'Mana'o tupapa'u' (1892) is critiqued for misrepresenting Tahitian spirituality.
  • The book references Gauguin's memoirs 'Noa Noa' (1901) and 'Avant et Après' (1903) and the 2010 Tate Modern exhibition 'Gauguin: Maker of Myth.'

Entities

Artists

  • Paul Gauguin
  • Camille Pissarro
  • Nicholas Thomas
  • Griselda Pollock
  • Abigail Solomon-Godeau
  • Stephen Eisenman
  • Samuel Reilly

Institutions

  • Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Cambridge
  • Tate Modern
  • Apollo
  • University of St Andrews
  • ArtReview

Locations

  • Cambridge
  • United Kingdom
  • Paris
  • France
  • Polynesia
  • South Seas
  • Tahiti

Sources