What will a Man Trade for Paradise?
As artists, we are sometimes so consumed with our craft that it’s hard to find the right balance between creation, family responsibilities, and everyday life. Though I love the rich colors in many of his works, I have always found the story behind Paul Gauguin and his works such a tragedy. Because his life had no anchor, no strong foundation, it destroyed family and even his own life.
Gauguin’s masterpiece “Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?” (1897) stands as both his greatest artistic achievement and a haunting testimony to a life adrift. At 35, Gauguin abandoned his career as a successful stockbroker in Paris. He left behind his wife and five children. He made this decision to pursue his artistic vision. While this decision led to the creation of revolutionary artwork that would influence generations of artists, it also began a spiral of choices that would lead to his lonely death on a remote island.
The Path to Paradise Lost
Gauguin’s artistic journey began conventionally enough – Sunday painting while working as a stockbroker, collecting Impressionist works, and learning from Camille Pissarro. But unlike his contemporaries who found ways to balance their artistic pursuits with family life, Gauguin chose radical separation. He convinced himself that “civilization” was the enemy of authentic artistic expression.
Tahiti: Dream Versus Reality
In 1891, he sailed to Tahiti, imagining he would find an unspoiled paradise. What he found instead was an island already heavily influenced by French colonialism and Christian missionaries. Undeterred, he created his own version of “paradise.” This version often exploited local women. It is reported that he even molested the children there. It also ignored the real complexity of Polynesian culture. His paintings from this period are undeniably beautiful, filled with rich colors and symbolic power. Works like “Vision After the Sermon” and “Spirit of the Dead Watching” showcase his ability to combine reality. They also highlight his skill in adding spirituality, even a false one, on canvas.
The Ultimate Questions
Yet his masterwork “Where Do We Come From?” reveals the deep spiritual crisis at his core. Painted during a time when he was contemplating suicide, this massive canvas (139.1 × 374.6 cm) reads from right to left, showing the journey from birth to death. The central figure picks fruit – an echo of Eden’s temptation. The blue idol in the background suggests ancient spirituality, while the overall questioning title reveals a man desperately seeking answers but unwilling to accept them from traditional sources. We see in him the full depravity of man apart from Christ and His salvation.
A Life Unanchored
Gauguin’s final years were marked by declining health from syphilis, conflicts with local authorities, and increasing isolation. He died in 1903, alone in his house in the Marquesas Islands. His last works show an artist of immense talent, but also one who never found the peace he sought. This is what self-seeking and – self-direction leads to – emptiness, isolation and self-destruction in various forms.
Lessons for Today’s Artists
The tragedy of Gauguin’s life offers a stark reminder that artistic genius alone cannot answer life’s deepest questions. His restless search for paradise on earth led him further from the genuine peace he sought. While we can admire his artistic achievements and the bold colors and forms he pioneered, his life serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of building on solid foundations
Finding True North
Today, many artists face similar struggles – the tension between artistic calling and family responsibilities, the search for authentic expression, and the pull between tradition and innovation. But unlike Gauguin, we can choose to pursue our artistic vision while remaining anchored to the things that truly matter – faith, family, and community.
In my coaching, I have always encouraged artists to push their creative boundaries while staying grounded in timeless truths. Gauguin’s questions – Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going? – are still relevant. But we believe these questions have answers, and that the journey of artistic discovery can lead us closer to, rather than further from, life’s essential truths.
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