Mahna no Varua Ino (The Devil Speaks)

Mahna no Varua Ino (The Devil Speaks) is a significant color woodcut on Japan paper created by Paul Gauguin and Louis Roy in 1894. This work is classified as a fine example of late 19th-century prints, demonstrating Gauguin’s vigorous exploration of graphic arts during his time in the South Pacific. The collaborative process with Roy, who specialized in the technical execution of color woodcuts, was crucial in translating Gauguin’s expressive designs into a stable, powerful edition.

The selection of the woodcut medium allowed Gauguin to embrace raw, deliberately stylized forms, moving away from the smooth finish of academic painting. The crude, powerful lines inherent to this technique amplify the subject matter’s intensity. This piece belongs to the period stretching from 1876 to 1900, reflecting the French cultural shift toward Symbolism and a rejection of naturalism. Executed during Gauguin's second stay in Tahiti, the print is steeped in Polynesian spiritualism and myth, addressing themes of fear, creation, and the inherent tension between indigenous belief systems and European influence.

Gauguin utilized highly saturated colors and a flattened perspective, emphasizing pattern over volume—a hallmark of his Symbolist style during this era. Mahna no Varua Ino embodies the emotional rawness that Gauguin sought in his graphic output, often using the medium to express the spiritual anxieties he documented in his Tahitian writings. Roy’s expertise ensured the complex overlay of color blocks achieved the desired atmospheric depth and emotional weight.

As one of the most compelling prints from this phase of Gauguin's career, the work reveals the artist’s innovative approach to color printing and his profound influence on subsequent generations of artists. This celebrated graphic work, important for the study of late 19th-century French art, is preserved in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. The accessibility of such historical prints through public domain initiatives allows for broader study of Gauguin’s unique contributions to modern graphic arts.