Gauguin – The Master, the Monster and the Myth

Hailed as one of the most significant figures of early Modernism and at the same time condemned for his work and his moral – the discussion about Gauguin, his art and his character is still relevant today. Especially at a time where #MeToo is shedding new light on Gauguin’s relationship with adolescent girls and his share in colonialism in French Polynesia.

‘Gauguin – The Master, the Monster and the Myth’ is the first in-depth biography about the artist written by a Danish writer. The publication shares new insights about Gauguin – about his complex character as an artist and a human being. It challenges the traditional ideas we have about his life and work. Flemming Friborg unfolds the fascinating story about Gauguin’s life and the millieu of Impressionism that he was a part of but also at the same time distinguishing himself from. The book shows how his method and moral was bound in a carefully maintained, personal brand and therefore the master and the monster must be seen as inseparable – and therefore, as a result of this, Gaugain’s legacy and status as a genius artist remains unclear.

Flemming Fribog (b. 1965) is an Art Historian and Associate Professor at CBS (Management, Politics and Philosophy). From 2002-17 he was director of Ny Garlsberg Glyptotek. He has been awarded several Danish and international orders such as the N.L. Høyen medal from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and the honourable order L’ordre ministériel des Arts et des Lettres presented by the French Ministry of Culture.