Paul Gauguin (1848–1903) was a French Post-Impressionist renowned for his bold, synthetic
use of color and flat forms. A former stockbroker, he controversially abandoned his family to
pursue art full-time. Seeking a primitive paradise, he spent his later years in French Polynesia,
producing vibrant masterpieces that profoundly shaped modern art. However, his personal life
remains highly criticized today due to his exploitation of young native girls. He died
impoverished at age 54.