Study for Aita tamari vahine Judith te parari 

Paul Gauguin made this study for Aita tamari vahine Judith te parari with pastel and charcoal. Gauguin was a French post-impressionist artist who spent time in French Polynesia and sought to represent Tahitian life in his works. This study, for what would become a more finished painting, shows a reclining nude figure surrounded by vivid colors, characteristic of Gauguin's style. It exemplifies how European artists of the late 19th century engaged with non-Western cultures, often through a lens of exoticism. Analyzing Gauguin's work requires considering the broader context of colonialism and cultural exchange during this period. Art historians explore the impact of French colonial rule on Tahitian society and how Gauguin's representations may have reinforced or challenged prevailing stereotypes. In doing so, historians use archives, journals and studies of post-colonialism, encouraging a critical examination of the power dynamics inherent in artistic representation.