Aita Tamari Vahina Judith Te Parari (Annah The Javanese) Paul Gauguin (1848-1903)

In this painting, a nude woman with dark hair, adorned with large hoop earrings, is depicted leaning back in a large, ornate blue chair. Her skin is rendered in a striking golden-yellow hue, contrasted by greenish tones on her legs. Her body is muscular and strong. Her right arm rests on the armrest of the chair, while her left arm is bent, with her hand resting on the chairs edge. Her legs are crossed, with her left foot positioned centrally in the foreground on a decorative green object. To the lower right, a small orange monkey sits, looking towards the left of the frame. The background is abstract, with a yellow hue dominating the upper portion and a bright yellow and rocky texture below. The setting appears to be indoors, suggested by the dark framing of the chair and a suggestion of a patterned screen or wall behind it.
The title, Aita Tamari Vahina (Annah The Javanese), provides context, identifying the subject, likely Annah, a woman of Javanese origin who was a model and performer in late 19th-century Paris. The imagery, particularly the nude figure in a non-Europeanized setting with the presence of a monkey, touches upon themes of exoticism, primitivism, and the objectification of the female body, common in the post-colonial art of the period. The bold colors and simplified forms are characteristic of Post-Impressionist styles, aiming to evoke emotion and symbolic meaning rather than strict realism. The monkey could symbolize animalistic nature, temptation, or a contrast to human intellect, further enriching the layers of interpretation. The overall composition suggests a sense of stillness and perhaps contemplation, juxtaposed with the inherent sensuality of the nude form.