“And the Gold of Their Bodies” is a notable work by the artist Paul Gauguin, created in the year 1901 during the artist’s time in French Polynesia. This oil on canvas painting is part of the Post-Impressionism movement and measures 67 cm by 76 cm. The genre of the artwork is nude painting (nu), and it currently resides in the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, France.
The artwork presents a compelling and exotic scene featuring two figures situated against a vibrant backdrop of lush foliage and vivid floral hues. Gauguin employed a rich palette to emphasize the warm tones of the subjects’ skin, contrasting with the cooler shades of their environment, and utilized broad, flat areas of color—a signature of his style that contributed to the Post-Impressionist movement’s departure from naturalism. The individuals are depicted in a candid state of repose, exuding a sense of serene contemplation. Their poses appear relaxed and uncontrived, providing a glimpse into the idyllic and harmonious existence Gauguin perceived in the South Pacific. The simplified forms, bold contours, and the synthesis of figure and background reflect Gauguin’s pursuit of emotional expression and symbolic resonance over representational accuracy.
