Behind her, with an averted phosphorescent eye, the spirit is personified in the form of a harmless old woman dressed in a black shawl. Commentary Gauguin describes the incident that prompted the painting in his diary. Gauguin liked to preserve the enigma of realities and interpretations. The Manao tupapau is seen in reverse, indicating that the artist is looking at himself in a mirror. Miscellaneous Dated 1892.
Symbolist art is characterized by timelessness, the abstract, and ambiguity.