Noa Noa: Te Po (Eternal Night)

"Noa Noa: Te Po (Eternal Night)" by Paul Gauguin is a significant woodcut print created between 1893 and 1894. This work belongs to the celebrated 'Noa Noa' series, which Gauguin produced following his initial return to France from Tahiti. The artist conceived this series as visual accompaniments for his autobiographical manuscript, documenting his experiences, romanticized perceptions, and spiritual discoveries in the South Pacific.

Gauguin deliberately utilized the woodcut medium to achieve a primal, unrefined aesthetic, deliberately distancing himself from the smoother, more polished prints favored by academic tradition. He worked the woodblock aggressively, allowing the gouges and visible marks to contribute to the overall texture, adding a sense of intensity and mystery. This technique underscores his Post-Impressionist and Symbolist exploration of non-Western art forms, central to his pursuit of Primitivism.

The subject, Te Po, translates from Tahitian as ‘the deep night’ or ‘the void,’ referring to the sacred, primordial darkness and the origin of the world in Polynesian mythology. The stark black and white contrasts inherent in the woodcut process effectively convey the spiritual weight and mythic atmosphere Gauguin sought to capture. Produced while the artist was back in France, this piece demonstrates Gauguin’s continued effort to synthesize Polynesian cultural beliefs with his own complex Symbolist leanings. The power of these influential prints resides today within the esteemed collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.