Noanoa Pl.19
Gauguin created these rough-hewn woodcuts to illustrate his travel journal 'Noa Noa' (meaning 'fragrant'), a book meant to explain his exotic Tahitian life to Parisians who didn't quite 'get' his paintings. The dark, moody scene features a kneeling figure near a canoe and a reclining form at the bottom, carved with a primitive energy that completely rejects academic polish. He actually carved the blocks himself using cheap, knotty wood, embracing the imperfections to achieve that 'savage' aesthetic. Interestingly, much of the text was actually written back in Paris with the help of a friend, making it a bit of a fabricated memory of paradise!
- Technique
- Woodcut
- Material
- Ink on paper
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