Have you wanted to get off campus more often or are just curious to see what Boston has to offer in the daytime? Well then here is one reason to get more cultured this semester: the Gauguin Tahiti exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts. The exhibit of the late 19th century artist, Paul Gauguin, features over 150 paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings that reflect his diverse background and influences. Gauguin was born in Paris and lived in Peru from when he was an infant in 1849 until 1855 when he, his mother and sister moved back to France. Gauguin then became a world-traveler as a second lieutenant merchant sailor. By 1871, he settled down as a stockbroker in Paris and married a Danish woman two years later. He would not remain a simple stockbroker for long however, as he emerged as a talented painter by his first exhibit in 1876.

By 1879, he became part of the Fourth Impressionist exhibition as well as known at the Caf de les Nouvelle-Athenes by Degas, Manet, Pissarro and other prominent French artists at the time. He continued with the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Impressionist exhibitions in the next consecutive years, as well as the Eighth in 1886.

Following these exhibits, he lived in Brittany for three months, then returned to Paris, where he began mastering the art of pottery and met Vincent Van Gogh. After living and working with Van Gogh for a few months before the painter cut off his ear, Gaguin decided to make a government-sponsored artistic mission to Tahiti.

Gauguin captured the heart of Tahitian and other South Pacific cultures by using deeper tones and broader strokes in his paintings as well as the ancient looking ceramic and wooden sculptures. The featured painting, "Where Do We Come From? What are We? Where are We Going?" was purchased by the Museum of Fine Arts in 1936 and exhibits the aspects of daily Tahitian life, spirituality and landscape.

His subjects mostly feature the women of Tahiti, including his young teenage lover. Gauguin also brought a visual aspect to some Tahitian stories such as in "The Creation of the Universe." He mostly used oil on canvas for his paintings, however, he also did color woodcuts, prints using Asian paper and various native wood and pottery for his sculptures and panels.

His colors are generally of a darker, richer tone than those of the Impressionists because he needed vibrant colors to capture the differences between the South Pacific landscape, spirit and life and that of Europe. Another feature of the Gauguin Tahiti exhibit are readings from the book Noa Noa, which he wrote to "facilitate the understanding" of his Tahitian works.

To tie the artist to reality, the exhibit also includes native idols, sculpture, jewelry and photographs of the Tahitian people. Including some ancient Tahitian art is helpful to see exactly how much the little island influenced his work.

The exhibit, which commemorates the artist's death in 1903, will be featured at the Museum of Fine Arts from Feb. 29 until June 20. Brandeis students get free general admission and a $5 ticket to the usually $7 exhibition. The only U.S. stop for this international exhibit is in Boston, so do not miss out on this wonderful opportunity before the semester is over!