Noa Noa: Noa Noa (Fragrant Scent)

The influential Post-Impressionist Paul Gauguin created the evocative woodcut Noa Noa: Noa Noa (Fragrant Scent) between 1893 and 1894. This highly important work, classified as a print, was conceived following Gauguin's first transformative trip to Tahiti, a period he documented in his celebrated journal also titled Noa Noa. Returning briefly to France, Gauguin translated his Polynesian experiences into a series of powerful, experimental woodcuts, moving beyond the traditional constraints of academic printmaking toward a more expressionistic style.

The phrase Noa Noa, meaning "fragrant scent," evokes the sensory richness and perceived natural purity that Gauguin claimed to find in the South Pacific, contrasting sharply with the industrialized culture of France. Gauguin's handling of the woodcut medium is intentionally rough and vigorous, exploiting the raw grain of the woodblock to achieve primal textures unlike those found in his oil paintings. This technique was deliberate, lending a primitive force to his depictions of Tahitian figures and scenes, and perfectly suiting his search for authenticity.

The resulting prints are characterized by bold, carved lines, flattened forms, and dramatic high contrast, merging observed realities with the artist's highly subjective and symbolic vision. These works served not only to illustrate his manuscript but also cemented Gauguin's legacy as a master printmaker and innovator. The creation of these powerful Noa Noa prints marked a major stylistic shift. This exceptional impression of the work is preserved in the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.