Where Is Arearea (Joyousness)? See It at Musée d'Orsay

Q: Where can I see Arearea?

It's at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. Paul Gauguin painted it in 1892 during his first stay in Tahiti. The title means 'Joyousness' in Tahitian.

Q: What does the painting depict?

Two Tahitian women sit in a vivid landscape with a red dog in the foreground. In the background, figures appear to worship near a statue. Gauguin combined observed reality with imagination and Polynesian mythology. The flat, bold colors and simplified forms break from European naturalistic tradition.

Q: Why did Gauguin go to Tahiti?

He left France in 1891 seeking a 'primitive paradise' untouched by Western civilization. He was disillusioned with European society and wanted to paint in a place with vibrant color and untouched culture. The reality was more complicated: Tahiti was already heavily colonized by France.

Q: What style is Arearea?

It's Post-Impressionist with strong Symbolist influences. Gauguin developed a style called Synthetism, using flat patches of bold color, dark outlines, and simplified forms. His approach influenced Fauvism and early modern art.

Q: Why is the dog red?

Gauguin wasn't painting what he literally saw. The red dog is a deliberate artistic choice, using color for emotional and decorative impact rather than realism. This anti-naturalistic use of color was radical in the 1890s and directly influenced Henri Matisse and the Fauvist painters.

Paul Gauguin painted this oil on canvas work in 1892 reflects the Post-Impressionism movement's influence on European art. As a French artist, Paul Gauguin brought specific cultural perspectives to their work. The composition demonstrates Paul Gauguin's command of pictorial elements. Form, color, and arrangement work together toward expressive effect. Technical skill serves the artist's larger vision and purpose. Today the work held at Musée d'Orsay in Paris. Viewing the original reveals details of brushwork and color that reproductions cannot capture. The museum context places the work alongside related pieces from the same tradition. Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) was a French artist working within the Post-Impressionism tradition.

It's at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. Paul Gauguin painted it in 1892 during his first stay in Tahiti. The title means 'Joyousness' in Tahitian.

Two Tahitian women sit in a vivid landscape with a red dog in the foreground. In the background, figures appear to worship near a statue. Gauguin combined observed reality with imagination and Polynesian mythology. The flat, bold colors and simplified forms break from European naturalistic tradition.

He left France in 1891 seeking a 'primitive paradise' untouched by Western civilization. He was disillusioned with European society and wanted to paint in a place with vibrant color and untouched culture. The reality was more complicated: Tahiti was already heavily colonized by France.

It's Post-Impressionist with strong Symbolist influences. Gauguin developed a style called Synthetism, using flat patches of bold color, dark outlines, and simplified forms. His approach influenced Fauvism and early modern art.

Gauguin wasn't painting what he literally saw. The red dog is a deliberate artistic choice, using color for emotional and decorative impact rather than realism. This anti-naturalistic use of color was radical in the 1890s and directly influenced Henri Matisse and the Fauvist painters.

Arearea (Joyousness)

Details

Where to See It

The Artist

More by Paul Gauguin

Mette asleep on a sofa

Spirit of the Dead Watching

Port de Grenelle

The Forest Path

Also at Musée d'Orsay

Lola de Valence

A Country Brasserie, Brannenburg, Bavaria

Man smoking a pipe

River's Edge The Siene at Herblay

Related Post-Impressionism Works

Self-Portrait

Starry Night Over the Rhône

Irises

The Night Café

Almond Blossoms

The Starry Night

Portrait of Dr. Gachet

Sunflowers

About Arearea (Joyousness)

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