Nave nave fenua (Delightful Land), from the Noa Noa Suite

Nave nave fenua (Delightful Land), from the Noa Noa Suite, is a compelling wood-block print created by the French artist Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) between 1893 and 1894. This highly influential piece was executed in black ink on delicate grayish-ivory China paper, showcasing Gauguin’s embrace of the graphic arts medium. The work belongs to the celebrated Noa Noa Suite, a collection of ten prints derived from sketches and drawings Gauguin made during his initial transformative trip to Tahiti (1891-1893). Gauguin favored the wood-block technique for its primitive energy and raw, simplified texture, finding it an ideal method to translate the exotic subjects of the South Seas into powerful symbolic imagery.

Although Gauguin carved the original blocks himself upon his return to France, the complicated technical printing and subsequent publication of this edition occurred later. This impression was printed by his son, Pola Gauguin (Danish, born France, 1883-1961), and published by Christian Cato in Copenhagen, ensuring the artist’s legacy continued to circulate widely after his death. The stark lines and simplified, monumental forms are hallmarks of Gauguin’s Symbolist aesthetic, transforming the imagery of Tahitian life into melancholic meditations on a supposed paradise.

This important series of prints demonstrates Gauguin’s profound engagement with graphic arts, placing him at the forefront of the Symbolist movement in the late 19th century. Nave nave fenua serves as a crucial document in Gauguin’s career, defining his mature style. The work is proudly held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it contributes to the study of modern prints and French art history. Today, the historical significance of such prints ensures their continued importance in art scholarship, with many related images falling into the public domain for research and educational access.