Under the Pandanus (I Raro te Oviri)

"Under the Pandanus (I Raro te Oviri)" is an evocative painting from 1891 by the renowned artist Paul Gauguin. Currently residing in the Dallas Museum of Art, this captivating piece measures 0.9 meters wide by 0.68 meters tall, drawing your eye into its vibrant world. nn The painting transports us to a serene tropical landscape, likely inspired by Gauguin's time in Tahiti. Two women dominate the foreground, their presence emphasized by their placement beneath the protective shade of pandanus trees. The woman on the left, bare-chested and clad in a vibrant red sarong, clutches a woven basket, hinting at a recent gathering. Her companion, adorned in a white top and a matching red sarong, carries a pole across her shoulders, from which dangles a bundle of elongated objects, possibly fish, suggesting their role as providers. A black dog with a sharp snout stands attentively between them, further adding to the sense of daily life captured in this scene. nn In the background, a lone figure, seemingly male and dressed in blue, sits contemplatively near the water's edge, perhaps a fisherman enjoying a moment of respite. The scene unfolds against the backdrop of a dazzling blue ocean, its stylized waves crashing gently against the shore. nn Gauguin's masterful use of color is evident throughout the painting. Warm tones of red, brown, and green dominate the composition, creating a sense of warmth and tranquility. Splashes of vibrant blue in the sky and sea provide a striking contrast, further enhancing the tropical atmosphere. The artist's signature bold, flat areas of color and simplified forms, characteristic of the Post-Impressionist style, lend the painting a sense of timeless beauty and serenity.