Paul Gauguin's story is nearly as dramatic and seductive as his art. In 1883, he walked away from a successful career in banking in order to paint every day. In 1891, he went a step further, leaving his family behind and setting sail for the South Seas, financing his trip by selling thirty paintings; the works that he created once he arrived were like nothing the art world had ever seen before. This book brings together beautiful reproductions of Gauguin's most famous works with the story of his life, excerpts from his letters and diaries, and an introduction setting his work in context.