Here we make love

"Here we make love" by Paul Gauguin, created between 1893 and 1894, is a pivotal work of graphic art that reflects the artist’s deep engagement with non-Western visual culture and his Symbolist inclinations. Classified as a print, the work is a technically sophisticated woodcut executed in color on wove paper, demonstrating Gauguin's commitment to reviving this traditionally rustic medium for fine art.

The woodcut technique allowed Gauguin to achieve simplified, powerful compositions characterized by thick outlines and compressed spatial planes. This aesthetic aligns closely with the principles of Abstraction, focusing on emotional resonance achieved through color fields and formal distortion rather than purely naturalistic representation. The deliberate crudeness of the carved lines and the uneven application of color enhance the work’s primal energy, supporting the themes of intimacy and spiritual connection referenced in the title. These characteristics place this work among the most experimental prints produced in the late 19th century.

Gauguin’s production of such intricate prints coincided with his time in French Polynesia, where he sought an idealized connection to non-industrialized life. The resulting prints, including Here we make love, were intended to function as independent works of art, elevating woodcuts beyond simple illustration. The rich texture achieved through printing the carved blocks onto wove paper provides a tactile quality that distinguishes it from his contemporaneous canvases. This influential piece is a significant component of the print collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is frequently accessed by scholars examining the origins of modern Abstraction.