The
seriousness of Gauguin’s commitment to anthropological research is a subtext
addressed directly and, by implication, in the catalogue and display strategies
devised for the Seattle exhibition. In contrast to earlier shows, in which
Polynesian artworks were typically presented as visual background for Gauguin’s
development as a modern European painter, the goal in Seattle was to place
these objects “at the heart of the exhibition.”
Artworks that mimic soft porn, showcase embalmed
animals, mock the Pope, and otherwise offend propriety are filling auctions,
museums, and galleries. Is there anything left to be upset about?
An exhaustive catalogue from the National
Gallery of Art draws on both art history and scientific analysis to resolve
questions about how Degas made sculpture and what happened to it after his
death.
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