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Otahi

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Otahi
ArtistPaul Gauguin
Year1893
MediumOil on Canvas
LocationPrivate collection

Otahi (French: Seule - English: Alone) is a 1893 oil on canvas painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin.[1]

Painted in Tahiti, the pose the subject takes is considered one to have been taboo as it is one where the woman makes herself ready for sexual penetration. The woman wears a pareo around her loin. [2]

The work was part of a lawsuit between Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, Swiss art dealer Yves Bouvier, and the auction house Sotheby's, with the former accusing the two latter parties of inflating prices. Otahi, which was purchased by Rybolovlev for a reputed sum of $120 million US, only resold for some odd $50 million US, resulting in a considerable loss.[3][4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Now on View: Paul Gauguin, Otahi (1893)". 21 May 2015.
  2. ^ Gamboni, Dario (15 September 2014). Paul Gauguin: The Mysterious Centre of Thought. Reaktion Books. ISBN 9781780234083.
  3. ^ "Russian Billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev Accuses Sotheby's of Price Inflation in a $380 Million Suit". 3 October 2018.
  4. ^ "A $100 Million Mystery: A Russian, His Art, and His Big Losses". 25 February 2017.