Te Po

Te Po (The Great Night) by Paul Gauguin, executed between 1893 and 1894, is a powerful example of the post-Impressionist master's innovative approach to printmaking during his first major sojourn to Tahiti. This particular impression is a woodcut in state II, a medium Gauguin embraced for its raw, expressive qualities. He utilized the challenging nature of the woodblock relief process to achieve dense black forms and stark white contrasts, departing sharply from the delicate etching techniques favored by many of his European contemporaries.

Created upon his return to Paris from the South Seas, this series of experimental prints reflects Gauguin’s deep preoccupation with Polynesian spirituality and mythology. The title translates literally as "The Night" or "The Great Night," and the image explores themes of creation and the profound mystery of existence, often interpreted as the primordial void from which life emerges according to indigenous legend. Gauguin deliberately simplified the figures and utilized heavy patterning, striving to synthesize European Symbolism with perceived indigenous cultural forms he encountered.

The resulting graphic boldness distinguishes the work from the artist’s more widely known oil paintings, showcasing his desire to imbue his art with a deliberately primal aesthetic. The raw power of this woodcut, Te Po, remains a critical transitional work, reflecting Gauguin’s move toward a subjective, Symbolist style that profoundly influenced modern art. This impression is part of the distinguished collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and due to the age of this masterwork, reproductions of Gauguin’s impactful prints frequently enter the public domain.