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What was Paul Gauguinās House of Pleasure on Hiva Oa?
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Paul Gauguin
Self-portrait by Paul Gauguin, oil on wood, 1889; in the Chester Dale Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. 79.2 Ć 51.3 cm.
After moving to the island of Hiva Oa in September 1901, Paul Gauguin purchased land and built a home with the assistance of his neighbors, which he named the "house of pleasure" (maison du jouir).1
Conceived by the artist as a "total work of art," the house was decorated with elaborately carved friezes. It is believed that the design of the home may have been inspired by Maori works Gauguin had previously observed in Auckland, New Zealand. Gauguin spent his final years living in this residence, where he eventually died in 1903.12