Paul Gauguin achieved a high public profile during his lifetime, and was one of the first artists of his generation to achieve international recognition. But his prominence has always had as much to do with the dramatic events of his life - his self-imposed exile on a remote South Sea island, his turbulent relationships with his peers - as with the appeal of his art.

Gauguin's oeuvre - his painting, sculpture, prints and ceramics - is discussed in the light of his public persona, his relations with his contemporaries, and his exhibitions and their reception by critics.

Drawing on Gauguin's extensive cache of journals, letters and other writings, Belinda Thomson also reveals the private world, beliefs and aspirations of this controversial and often contradictory artist.