Te atua (The God) from the Noa Noa Suite

Te atua (The God) from the Noa Noa Suite is a pivotal wood-block print created by Paul Gauguin (French, 1848-1903) between 1893 and 1894. This highly experimental work demonstrates Gauguin's innovative approach to printmaking, moving far beyond traditional graphic techniques. The composition was constructed using a wood-block printed twice in yellow ocher and black inks, superimposed over a yellow ink tone block. Adding significant complexity and depth, the artist incorporated transferred golden-yellow, green, red-orange, and red oil-based media, mixed with binding agents like beeswax and conifer resin, onto cream Japanese paper.

Created while Gauguin was back in France following his first major trip to the South Pacific, the Noa Noa suite illustrates the spiritual and mythic themes he encountered and romanticized in Tahitian culture. The title, Te atua (The God), directly engages with indigenous religious concepts, though filtered through Gauguin's Post-Impressionist and Symbolist perspective. This specific piece showcases the artist’s groundbreaking use of color within the woodcut medium, transforming what was traditionally a linear, black-and-white technique into a richly textured, painterly surface.

Gauguin's deliberate layering of color and texture in this series marks a crucial step in the development of modern prints. His intense desire to synthesize Western Symbolism with Polynesian motifs defined his later career. This celebrated impression of Te atua is housed in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, offering researchers and the public domain access to one of the most important series of prints produced by the master.