The Devil Speaks (Mahna No Varua Ino), from Fragrance (Noa Noa)

The Devil Speaks (Mahna No Varua Ino), from Fragrance (Noa Noa), created by Paul Gauguin in 1893-1894, is a highly expressive woodcut printed in color on delicate Japanese paper. This print is one of ten critical images Gauguin produced for his autobiographical travelogue, Noa Noa, which detailed his first journey to Tahiti and his search for artistic and spiritual renewal far from European civilization.

Unlike the highly finished illustrative prints common at the time, Gauguin embraced the inherent roughness of the woodcut technique. He used bold, carved lines and stark contrasts to convey the primal, mystical tension he perceived in Tahitian culture. The work’s native subtitle, Mahna No Varua Ino, translates roughly to "The source of the bad spirit" or "Why are you angry?," indicating an exploration of local superstitions and the influence of malevolent forces.

The composition features several figures, including both men and women, clustered in a dark setting around a central, unsettling glow. This ominous light source, possibly representing the fire of the Devil or an apparition, heightens the sense of spiritual anxiety and dread. Gauguin’s deliberate choice of color printing enhances the dramatic effect, bathing the figures in brooding hues interspersed with unnatural luminance.

Gauguin’s woodcut prints from this period mark a significant move toward Symbolism, demonstrating his shift from depicting external reality toward illustrating internal emotion and myth. This impression is part of the extensive collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and it serves as a foundational example of how Gauguin revolutionized graphic arts through his experimental approach to the printing process.