The royal end
Arii matamoe (The royal end) 1892
oil on canvas
The J Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, 2008.5
Gauguin's depiction of a severed head presented on a white pillow, with a group of nearby mourners, in effect takes a biblical scene and image from European art history-the severed head of John the Baptist held on a platter-and places it in a new and exotic setting. This confronting scene, which exoticises Tahitian culture for a European audience, has been imagined by Gauguin. Later in June 1891, Gauguin attended the Christian funeral ceremony of the last Tahitian king, Pomare V. This painting conflates these two events, assigning a sense of otherness' to Tahitian culture for his European audience.
The royal end
Arii matamoe (The royal end) 1892
oil on canvas
The J Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, 2008.5
Gauguin's depiction of a severed head presented on a white pillow, with a group of nearby mourners, in effect takes a biblical scene and image from European art history-the severed head of John the Baptist held on a platter-and places it in a new and exotic setting. This confronting scene, which exoticises Tahitian culture for a European audience, has been imagined by Gauguin. Later in June 1891, Gauguin attended the Christian funeral ceremony of the last Tahitian king, Pomare V. This painting conflates these two events, assigning a sense of otherness' to Tahitian culture for his European audience.