Plate with the Head of a Horned Devil (Planche au diable cornu)

Plate with the Head of a Horned Devil (Planche au diable cornu) is a powerful woodcut created by Paul Gauguin in 1895. This deeply textured print, executed on very thin japan paper, showcases the artist’s commitment to exploring primitive and non-traditional printmaking methods during the critical years of Symbolism. Gauguin deliberately utilized the raw, forceful character of the woodcut technique to move away from the delicate precision of contemporary lithography, achieving an uncompromising expressiveness perfectly suited to his profound and often dark Symbolist interests.

The subject matter, the disembodied head of a devil characterized by prominent horns and a menacing grin, reflects the psychological and mythological themes that permeated French art between 1876 to 1900. Gauguin’s imagery often drew on anxieties about modern European civilization and a profound fascination with non-Western spiritualities and superstition. This demonic representation likely serves as a personal emblem or a component of the larger, interconnected narrative cycles found across his graphic output. The stark contrast and broad, heavy lines inherent in the woodcut enhance the sinister quality of the figure, lending the image an iconic, almost totemic power.

Gauguin revolutionized the creation of prints through his deliberately coarse approach, treating the woodblock as a sculptural object that retained the marks of its manual manipulation rather than merely a tool for clean reproduction. This singular work is a key example of the French master’s late graphic maturity. The print currently resides in the extensive collection of the National Gallery of Art, where it represents a significant high point of Post-Impressionist graphic production. As a major historical print, reproductions of this influential work may sometimes be available through public domain initiatives, ensuring wider access to Gauguin's revolutionary visual vocabulary.