Parau Hina Tefatou (Words between Goddess of the Moon and God of the Earth)

Parau Hina Tefatou (Words between Goddess of the Moon and God of the Earth) is a significant drawing created by the French Post-Impressionist master Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) between 1893 and 1894. This period marks Gauguin’s deep engagement with Tahitian culture and mythology, where he translated complex Polynesian narratives into his distinctive symbolic style.

Executed on heavily textured ivory wove paper, the technical complexity of the work is evident. Gauguin utilized a rich combination of media, applying brush and gray wash alongside defining lines in pen and brown ink. Notably, art historical estimates suggest the brown ink used for definition was originally purple, adding a layer of subtle coloration now altered by time. The artist further refined the composition and enhanced texture using black fabricated chalk, reflecting his experimental approach to the drawing classification.

The subject illustrates an imagined dialogue between the Goddess of the Moon, Hina, and the God of the Earth, Tefatou, figures central to the cosmology Gauguin sought to document and reinterpret during his time away from France. This powerful piece captures the spiritual tension between celestial and earthly realms. Preserved in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, this unique work provides deep insight into the genesis of many of Gauguin's later paintings and woodcuts. Due to the age and prominence of the artist, high-quality reference images of Gauguin’s drawings are frequently available for study through public domain initiatives, allowing scholars worldwide access to prints for detailed examination of his process.