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A mysterious profile with a phosphorescent yellow eye peers out from behind a bouquet of exotic flowers, holding another flower against a violet background. This combination of a frequently demonic or enigmatic visage with a still life—a genre typically devoid of human presence except through their traces—appears in Gauguin's work from an early stage. This small painting was influenced by his first trip to Tahiti in 1891.
The Polynesian culture, natural environment, and people left a lasting impression on Gauguin, who settled there permanently in 1895. He lived on the island until his death in 1903, exploring Polynesian life and mysticism through paintings, prints, and sculptures.