Philippe Dagen's Fictional Account of Gauguin's Voyage to Tahiti

Art historian and critic Philippe Dagen has published 'L'Australien', a fictionalized account of Paul Gauguin's two-month sea voyage to Tahiti. The book is structured as a logbook written by an invented female narrator, Camille Agostini, who encounters Gauguin during the journey. Through her daily entries, Dagen explores Gauguin's biography, including his childhood, rejection of academicism, and his fraught relationship with Vincent van Gogh in Arles. The narrative gives voice to Gauguin's critique of Western hypocrisy and consumerism, as he declares, 'I no longer want to see this world.' The book blends art history with fiction, allowing readers into an imagined intimacy with the artist. Published by Nouvelles éditions Scala, the work was reviewed by Léa Bismuth.