Te atua (The God), from the Noa Noa Suite

Te atua (The God), from the Noa Noa Suite, created by Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903, between 1893 and 1894, is a significant example of Post-Impressionist printmaking. This raw, evocative wood-block print in residual brown and black inks on ivory wove paper showcases Gauguin’s innovative and often primal approach to the graphic medium. The creation of the "Noa Noa" suite accompanied the manuscript the artist wrote documenting his transformative first trip to Tahiti (1891-1893).

Gauguin sought to synthesize his European Symbolist background with his perception of Tahitian myths and spiritual life, using the series of prints to interpret a world untouched by Western industry. The intentional roughness and deep carving of the wood-block medium allowed Gauguin to capture a sense of ancient power, achieving a deliberate contrast with the aesthetic refinement of many contemporary prints being made in France. The resulting image depicts a stylized, almost monolithic figure commonly interpreted as a deity or spirit, reflecting the artist’s foundational engagement with non-Western cosmology.

Gauguin masterfully exploited the natural grain of the wood block, allowing the residual brown and black inks to create rich, layered textures that emphasize the work’s inherent mystery and sense of the exotic. This key print, which is essential to understanding Gauguin's visual and literary endeavors, is part of the distinguished collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.