At the time he was suffering financially and waned to escape bureaucratic Europe and to feel free. The island allowed him to do so and his paintings while there, reflect these feelings of freedom ad tranquility.
Tahitian Women on the Beach is a bold painting that depicts the women of the island gong about their everyday tasks in their natural habitat. In this painting we see two women at rest.
They sit together, although they appear to be apart, lost in their own thoughts. The expression that they both wear is almost that of melancholy. Gauguin has beautifully captured them in a moment of rest and contemplation.
Both women sit on a stretch of sand, one facing the observer, the other is turned away so we cannot fully read her expression. The woman who faces the observer, is not merely resting, she is also sat weaving a basket, as though this rhythmic action helps her to unwind.
The strong outlines of the two women coupled with the close attention to detail, make the image restful and gentle. The two women are brought to life by the detail that is presented and the use of colour and life.
Whereas the background almost appears to be that of an illusion, that it is there to being the two women to life. The background appears to be that of a blue lagoon as this is suggested with the use of white lines that are painted upon the water.
Although the image is that of two women, it cannot be viewed as that of a natural portrait, due to the bold lines and disproportioned background. What is important is that the two women appear to be more real and lifelike because of their highly stylised background.
