Watch Gauguin: The Full Story

Gaugin: The Full Story from Amazon Addon is a fascinating art documentary series exploring the life and work of the celebrated French post-Impressionist artist, Paul Gauguin. The series is hosted by Waldemar Januszczak, a renowned art critic and writer who brings his characteristic wit and insight to the subject matter.

The series takes a fresh and far-reaching look at Gauguin's life, using a mix of art history, personal anecdotes, and fictional reenactments based on Gauguin's own writings. It explores his early years in Paris as a stockbroker, his friendship with Vincent van Gogh, his move to Tahiti, and his search for a simpler, more authentic way of life.

In each episode, Januszczak delves into different aspects of Gauguin's work, such as his use of color, his interest in non-Western art and culture, and his relationship with the Impressionists. He also compares Gauguin's paintings to the work of other artists such as Picasso, Matisse, and Cézanne, placing Gauguin in the wider context of art history.

The documentary is filmed on location, visiting the places where Gauguin lived and worked, including Paris, Brittany, Martinique, and Tahiti. There are interviews with experts, such as Dario Encinas Pareja, an art historian and author of a book on Gauguin, and Marc Douezy, a Tahitian artist and cultural historian, who provide additional insights into the artist's life and work.

Throughout the series, Januszczak makes a compelling case for Gauguin as a visionary artist who anticipated many of the developments of the modern era. He argues that Gauguin's break with the conventions of Western art paved the way for later movements such as Fauvism and Expressionism.

One of the standout episodes of the series is "The Savage Beast", which explores Gauguin's obsession with Tahiti and Polynesian culture. Januszczak calls Tahiti "the most Gauginian place on earth" and shows how the artist sought to escape the "beastly" world of Western civilization in pursuit of a more primal, spiritual existence. The episode includes some stunning footage of Tahiti's landscapes and a fascinating discussion of the cultural context in which Gauguin worked.

Another highlight of the series is "Van Gogh and Gauguin", which focuses on the tumultuous relationship between the two artists. Januszczak reveals how their friendship was marked by a mixture of admiration, envy, and rivalry, and how their personalities clashed. The episode includes a fictional reenactment of the legendary incident in which Van Gogh cut off his own ear after a heated argument with Gauguin.

Overall, Gauguin: The Full Story is a rich and engaging series that offers a fresh and nuanced perspective on one of the most complex and enigmatic artists of the modern era. It will appeal to anyone with an interest in art history, French culture, or the fascinating life of Paul Gauguin.