Savage Tales: The Writings of Paul Gauguin

As a French artist who lived in Polynesia, Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) occupies a crucial position in histories of European primitivism. This is the first book devoted to his wide-ranging literary output, which included journalism, travel writing, art criticism and essays on aesthetics, religion and politics. It analyses his original manuscripts, some of which are richly illustrated, reinstating them as an integral component of his art. The seemingly haphazard, collage-like structure of Gauguin's manuscripts enabled him to evoke the 'primitive' culture that he celebrated, while rejecting the style of establishment critics.