You can read part 1 here. The text below is the excerpt from the book Paul Gauguin, written by Anna Barskaya, published by Parkstone International. Gauguin’s deviation from Impressionism first manifested itself during his stay in Rouen. It is particularly evident in his plastic works, a case in point being the carving of a small wooden jewellery box. The decor of the external sides ornamented with theatrical masks and ballet dancers in tutus (a design borrowed from Degas) is in striking contrast with the corpse-like figure in the bottom of the box, which is reminiscent of a Peruvian mummy. This clash of motifs – worldly amusements and death – leaves no doubt as…