Noa Noa (Fragrant), from the Noa Noa Suite

Noa Noa (Fragrant), from the Noa Noa Suite by Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903, is a significant example of Post-Impressionist graphic art created between 1893 and 1894. This wood-block print in black, executed on tan wove paper, showcases the artist’s innovative approach to printmaking following his initial return from Tahiti. The complexity of the technique is evident in the inclusion of a transferred twill impression, suggesting Gauguin experimented rigorously with texture and surface quality, moving beyond traditional relief printing methods to imbue the surface with expressive roughness.

The Noa Noa suite accompanied the semi-autobiographical manuscript Gauguin wrote chronicling his experiences in Polynesia. Unlike the immediate sensory clarity of his paintings, the prints in this series possess a raw, often deliberately crude aesthetic, reflecting the artist’s desire to evoke a more primitive or direct sensibility in his work. These experimental prints were essential in developing the Symbolist style popular in France during the late 19th century. Gauguin used the medium not just for reproduction, but as a primary tool for artistic expression, emphasizing the inherent grain and imperfections of the wood block itself.

This specific piece serves as a powerful example of Gauguin’s later career shift, where he sought to integrate Oceanic motifs and spiritual themes into European art. Classified strictly as a print, the work captures the intense, often unsettling psychological atmosphere associated with the artist’s Parisian years after his initial Tahitian journey. This important print is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, offering crucial insight into the graphic output of the renowned artist.