Paul Gauguin was a French Post-Impressionist painter who is best known for his bold use of color and Synthetist style of painting. He was born in Paris in 1848 and spent much of his life traveling, particularly to Tahiti and the Marquesas Islands. His work was heavily influenced by the people and cultures he encountered during his travels. He died in 1903 in Atuona, on the island of Hiva Oa in the Marquesas Islands.