Tropical Style

When artist Paul Gauguin arrived in Papeete in June 1891, his romantic image of Tahiti as an untouched landscape, a paradise derived in part from Pierre Loti's novel Le Mariage de Loti (1880). What is worth noting is that Gauguin was actually disappointed by the extent to which French colonization had corrupted everyday life in Tahiti. He subsequently attempted to immerse himself in what he believed were the authentic aspects of the culture. By later including Tahitian motifs in paintings and ceramics, he displayed what is referred to in Western art as Primitivism. Typically borrowed from non-Western or prehistoric people perceived to be “primitive", the likes of Gauguin and Henri Rousseau borrowed from subject matter deemed exotic or indeed tropical such as in Rousseau's In a Tropical Forest Combat of a Tiger and a Buffalo (1908–1909). 

Despite non-Western art being important to the development of modern art, Primitivism has often been critiqued for reproducing racist stereotypes. Now, it can be argued then that the canon is no longer entirely Western-centric and tropical style art movement has been later depicted by the African artworks of Roger Djiguemde and also Ana Maria Dias who hails from Brazil. Further implementing the importance of this art style despite how exotic its setting.

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Painting, Paradise van, Peter de Boer

Peter de Boer

Painting - 40 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,513

Painting, Her Blue Eyes, Trayko Popov

Trayko Popov

Painting - 60 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

$720

Painting, La ronde, Edmar Fernandes

Edmar Fernandes

Painting - 50 x 70 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch

$960

Painting, Mask Dance, Kusbudiyanto

Kusbudiyanto

Painting - 66 x 66 x 3 cm Painting - 26 x 26 x 1.2 inch

$1,561

Painting, Tourbillons, Julien Calot

Julien Calot

Painting - 100 x 81 x 4 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.9 x 1.6 inch

$5,402

Painting, Sin título, Emilio Tejada

Emilio Tejada

Painting - 50 x 61 x 5 cm Painting - 19.7 x 24 x 2 inch

$936

Sculpture, Jagoanku, Kusbudiyanto

Kusbudiyanto

Sculpture - 75 x 70 x 30 cm Sculpture - 29.5 x 27.6 x 11.8 inch

$2,641

Print, Passion, Akira Inumaru

Akira Inumaru

Print - 50 x 40 cm Print - 19.7 x 15.7 inch

$420

Painting, La traversée, Maite Diniz

Maite Diniz

Painting - 80 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

$1,681

Print, Stillness, Cajuca

Cajuca

Print - 59.4 x 42 x 0.3 cm Print - 23.4 x 16.5 x 0.1 inch

$600

Photography, Mirador, Nadia Attura

Nadia Attura

Photography - 90 x 90 x 0.1 cm Photography - 35.4 x 35.4 x 0 inch

$876

Painting, Lotus 02, Poonam Choudhary

Poonam Choudhary

Painting - 121.9 x 76.2 x 5.1 cm Painting - 48 x 30 x 2 inch

$750

Painting, shelters, Poonam Choudhary

Poonam Choudhary

Painting - 121.9 x 152.4 x 5.1 cm Painting - 48 x 60 x 2 inch

$1,850

Painting, Self Love, Poonam Choudhary

Poonam Choudhary

Painting - 101.6 x 76.2 x 5.1 cm Painting - 40 x 30 x 2 inch

$990

Painting, As it was, Poonam Choudhary

Poonam Choudhary

Painting - 91.4 x 91.4 x 3.8 cm Painting - 36 x 36 x 1.5 inch

$750

Painting, Two Faced, Poonam Choudhary

Poonam Choudhary

Painting - 61 x 61 x 3.8 cm Painting - 24 x 24 x 1.5 inch

$1,200

Painting, Black 01, Poonam Choudhary

Poonam Choudhary

Painting - 61 x 121.9 x 3.8 cm Painting - 24 x 48 x 1.5 inch

$800