"In a totally new approach, this book interweaves biography with artistic analysis to provide a complete understanding of Gauguin's character and work. a unique "private album" of the artist's materials, contemporary photographs, and his own letters are presented alongside superb color reproductions of many of Gauguin's major and lesser-known works. The influence of other artists, and of significant events in his life, are highlighted. Specially selected works, each representing a key development in technique or showing how he handled a particular subject, are studied in depth. Details are extracted from these paintings and examined close-up."--book jacket.