The Universe is Created (L'Univers est cree)

The Universe is Created (L'Univers est cree) is a significant color woodcut created in 1894 by Paul Gauguin and Louis Roy. This collaborative work exemplifies the innovative approach to printmaking that defined the French artistic environment between 1876 and 1900. While Gauguin likely provided the conceptual design and overall thematic elements, Roy was essential in realizing the final composition as a complex woodcut print. This technique allowed for saturated, non-naturalistic colors and highly simplified forms, reflecting the emerging Symbolist and Post-Impressionist aesthetic prevalent in the late nineteenth century.

Gauguin’s perennial preoccupation with creation myths, spiritual origins, and non-Western iconography is evident in the dynamic, stylized representation of the cosmos coming into being. The work moves beyond traditional pictorial narration, prioritizing expressive line and flat planes of color, treating the surface not just as a means of reproduction but as an active, expressive medium. The technical complexity inherent in registering multiple colors using carved wooden blocks meant that ambitious works like The Universe is Created required specialized skill and were often produced in small, exclusive editions.

The historical importance of this piece is recognized through its inclusion in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, where it serves as a key example of collaborative French printmaking during the period of 1876 to 1900. The stylistic choices made by Gauguin and Roy profoundly influenced subsequent generations of European artists interested in the graphic arts. Due to the age and classification of such influential works, high-quality images and related documentation for these significant prints are sometimes made available through public domain initiatives, ensuring the continued study and appreciation of Roy's technical execution and Gauguin's visionary artistry.