Wild Thing - A Life of Paul Gauguin

## Wild Thing: A Life of Paul Gauguin

In Wild Thing, biographer Sue Prideaux revisits the life of Paul Gauguin and argues that much of his scandalous reputation is unfounded. She portrays a self-taught artist who produced influential work in painting, ceramics and prints, and a complicated man rather than a simple villain.

The book follows Gauguin to Tahiti, where he championed Indigenous rights and challenged French colonial abuses through a local newspaper and the courts. Prideaux draws on new research, including a recovered manuscript of Gauguin's key writings, his son's untranslated memoir and dental evidence that questions the claim that he had syphilis.

**Best used for:** Readers of art history and biography, and anyone interested in Gauguin, Post-Impressionism or colonial Tahiti.
**Not recommended for:** Readers looking for a pure art-technique guide or a picture-only coffee table book.