img207 Paul Gauguin (1848-1903)

Description of Paul Gauguin’s painting "Nevermore"

Paul Gauguin painted "Nevermore" in 1897 in Tahiti. He executed it on oil on canvas. It is now in London at the Courtauld.

The composition presents a thematic version of "lying naked": a naked Tahitian young girl perched on a rather rich bed and, as an attentive viewer might think, listening intently to what is going on around her.

Behind her, in the doorway, two figures can be seen talking animatedly to each other. A closer look to the upper left corner reveals a hanging painting with the explicit caption "Nevermore", which in Russian precisely means "Never again".

It is also worth paying attention to the black raven, which is perched behind the naked lady. Which symbolizes the poem "The Raven" by Edgar Poe.

The painting is done in a somber-dark color tones. It seems to create a whiff of anxious feelings, but not the passionate platonic desire for a naked and young girl.

The main character of the composition looks anxious. She’s obviously thinking about something. Maybe about those two women behind her? Or about a raven?

The stylization of the French painter’s writing is densely condensed strokes, colorful, vivid colors and tones - as if admiring the creation of expressionists.

Many critics argue about the profound meaning of the artist’s work. But Gauguin himself said that the main idea is that there is a certain understatement in this work. And for this reason, this painting, as well as other creations of the artist, carry a whole series of different interpretations.

It has already been officially proven that Gauguin’s painting "Nevermore" was created on the canvas over another painting.