Gauguin loved life in Tahiti and remained interested in the cultural differences found here, even after living in the region for several years. The people living here would blend into the environment fairly smoothly, with their homes made from local resources and their own behaviour leaving a fairly limited impact on the island itself. The composition here captures a couple going about their daily routine, with a young man carrying fruit. A female figure kneels in front of us on a barren path. Behind them is dense forestry, with tones of dark green sometimes joined by flower petals in white and yellow. A series of hills then lie in the background, with a light sky calmly filling in the upper part of this canvas. The dominant palm tree allows Gauguin to insert bright tones of orange across its leaves which hang down limply. The artist then signs the piece at the bottom, alnog with its title and date.
Gauguin viewed Tahiti as an endless source of inspiration for his work. He loved the island, and he loved the people living there. He felt an innocence and purity which had long since been lost within Europe and he found the more primitive way of life charming and refreshing. Whilst resources would sometimes arrive late, or even not at all, he simply adjusted to this new way of life and accepted the downsides of life in a remote location. The biggest sign of his love for Tahiti, besides all of the paintings that he produced here, is how he continually returned before eventually remaining here permanently.
The artist would achieve the most in his career once he had relocated away from Europe. He felt at home in island life and would consistently find new avenues of inspiration for his work. Some of the most memorable artworks from his career would include the likes of Arearea, The Yellow Christ and Fatata te Miti. Although the genres may not have changed significantly, the content was of a different culture and country, where almost everything was just a little different. He initially returned to Europe after his first set of travels, but longed to return and would eventually move away permanently, leading to shock and bemusement by many based in his native Europe. Even today such a move would surprise many, but there was also many who appreciated the scenes that he brought to their attention, and that they might not have seen were it not for his brave relocation.
