Gauguin describes the intoxicating scent of the Tahitian women in his personal journal. “A mingled perfume,” he writes, "The perfume of their blood and of the gardenias." The Book Lust for Life by Irving Stone was made into a movie in 1956. Vincente Minnelli directed Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn (as Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin)
While sitting alone on set working on a painting, Quinn clearly heard a voice telling him how to paint the gardenias.
Quinn asked, “Who are you that I should care what you would do with this little flower?"
“Ah,” the voice replied “you know who I am.”
Quinn looked around and then wondered, could it be Gauguin's spirit? No, of course not, he thought.
Days later the voice was giving Quinn more directions as he painted, even telling him to hold the brush properly. Quinn tried to convince himself it was Minnelli or Douglas joking around. "You guys say something?" Quinn kept asking, looking up from his canvas. Minnelli and Douglas would shake their heads. Minelli later asked Quinn just what was troubling him, and Quinn finally told him.
"Oh, a ghost? Well, wonderful!" Minnelli smiled and told Quinn to paint the way this ghost instructed. Quinn said he felt Gauguin's presence very strongly at this point, and decided to just accept it.
A solid perfume from Pacifica ~ a blend of gardenia, ylang ylang, orange flower water, and jasmine. All natural essential oils. This goes on smooth, and is light but fragrant. (The cat leg is for scale.) You can find Pacifica (all natural) products at Whole Foods ~ soaps, candles, perfumes, lotions: most everything is priced under $10. Top Art: Paul Gauguin
The gardenia photo was e mailed to me, original source unknown.
Product photo: Chedwick
