Tahitian Carrying Bananas, from the Suite of Late Wood-Block Prints

Tahitian Carrying Bananas, from the Suite of Late Wood-Block Prints is a striking example of the late career printmaking of Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903. Created between 1898 and 1899, this highly textural work utilizes the demanding technique of the wood-block print, rendered in rich black ink upon thin ivory Japanese paper. Gauguin's involvement with printmaking during his final years in the South Pacific allowed him to explore the dramatic simplification of form and shadow, emphasizing the raw, graphic power achievable through the medium.

The piece depicts a solitary figure carrying a heavy cluster of bananas, rendered in silhouette against a dense, stylized background. Gauguin often idealized his Tahitian subjects, transforming local inhabitants into universal figures that symbolized a perceived primal connection to the natural world. This stylistic choice reflects the artist’s deliberate rejection of contemporary European society in France. The crude, powerful lines and heavily textured surfaces of the woodcut emphasize the material quality of the medium, creating a visual language that deliberately broke from academic traditions.

As one of the key prints in this important late suite, this work demonstrates Gauguin’s commitment to disseminating his imagery through multiple mediums. The enduring appeal of this subject matter contributes to its historical significance. This specific print is housed in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. The lasting influence of these seminal prints ensures that Gauguin's Tahitian period motifs remain widely recognized, with many of his masterpieces now frequently referenced in the public domain, ensuring global access to his impactful vision.