Te Po

Te Po (The Night), created by Paul Gauguin between 1893 and 1894, is a powerful example of the artist's pioneering approach to printmaking. This particular impression, executed as a woodcut on wove paper, showcases Gauguin’s radical exploration of Symbolism and perceived Primitive art during his residency in Tahiti. The technique employed here—carving directly into the wooden matrix—lends the resulting prints a raw, deliberate intensity that differs significantly from his contemporary paintings. Gauguin often used the dramatic contrasts inherent in the woodcut process to depict the myths and spirituality of Polynesian culture, emphasizing bold form over naturalistic detail.

The subject of the work reflects Gauguin’s ongoing fascination with the duality of life and death, consciousness and the unconscious, encapsulated in the Tahitian concept of "night" or "darkness." Unlike the polished engravings common in Parisian print shops of the era, Gauguin embraced the rough texture and strong, defined lines achievable through the woodcut medium, utilizing broad areas of unmodulated black and white. This stark, graphic approach was highly influential on later generations of Expressionist and modernist artists who sought to break away from academic traditions.

The radical simplicity of the design in Te Po makes it one of Gauguin’s most iconic prints from the period, demonstrating his belief that art should evoke essential emotion rather than simply document reality. This significant piece is housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, preserving a vital record of Gauguin’s late career explorations. While the original impressions are rare, the influence of this innovative work continues, and high-quality images of this masterwork have entered the public domain, allowing students and scholars worldwide access to Gauguin's groundbreaking Tahitian period.