Poor Paul Gauguin. Not only do most undergraduates persist in spelling his name without the second "u," but he is also a victim of what a colleague calls the "Van Goghs Ear Syndrome"—or, in this case, the "Polynesian Babe Syndrome." Thanks to popular novels and movies, we know that Gauguin looked like Anthony Quinn, behaved badly a lot of the time, and called himself "a savage." We know that he was Van Goghs roommate in Arles, that they fought bitterly (see "Ear Syndrome") and that afterwards, Gauguin went off to the South Seas to live by plucking fruit from the trees, surrounded by golden-skinned maidens who served as models and lovers, painting faithful images of an exotic Eden. Or something like that. In fact, some of this pop version of the story is not wholly inaccurate. Self-portraits and photographs suggest that Anthony Quinn was an inspired casting choice. The part about Gauguins referring to himself as "a savage" and "primitive" can certa ...

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