The words “mysterious” and “enigmatic” often appear inGauguin’s letters and notes; indeed these were qualities which struck him, the European, so particularly among the South Sea people. And frequently he tried to capture in his works this element of an impenetrable world hidden behind he friendliness, the unconcern, even the apparent openness of he natives.
“She is very clever in her naSèveté, the Tahitian Eve,”Gauguinonce wrote. “Like Eve’s, her body is still that of an animal, but the mind has developed subtlety, love impressed he ironical smile upon her lips, and naively she searches in her memory for the why of present times. Enigmatically she looks at you.”
ThatGauguinsucceeded on capturing this enigmatic character is illustrated by the exclamation of Mallarme before one of these Tahitian paintings: “It is amazing that one can put so much mystery in so much Brilliance.”