Who painted Mahana Atua (Day of the Gods)?

Mahana Atua (Day of the Gods) was painted by Paul Gauguin in 1894.

Where can I see Mahana Atua (Day of the Gods)?

Mahana Atua (Day of the Gods) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Mahana Atua (Day of the Gods)?

Mahana Atua (Day of the Gods) is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Mahana Atua (Day of the Gods)

Paul Gauguin , 1894

Mahana Atua (Day of the Gods) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin. It dates from 1894 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1894, Mahana Atua (Day of the Gods) is a woodcut print executed on delicate China paper. The work belongs to the period when the artist was exploring the intersections of Post‑Impressionism and Symbolism, employing a Synthetist approach that emphasizes bold color and simplified forms despite the monochrome medium of the woodcut.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents a tumultuous, dream‑like tableau. At its centre lies a reclining female figure, surrounded by a mixture of standing and crouching bodies. Jagged clouds, skeletal trees and faint, mask‑like faces populate the background, merging earthly and mythic elements into a scene that suggests a ritual or mythic narrative rather than a literal event.

Technique & Style

The artist carved the image directly into a wood block, then printed it onto thin China paper, producing a textured surface marked by rough, incised lines. Swirling strokes and stark, dark shapes convey a sense of movement and turbulence, while the limited palette heightens the work’s symbolic intensity, reflecting the Synthetist focus on flat areas of color and strong outlines.

Context

During the early 1890s the creator was actively experimenting with printmaking alongside painting and sculpture, integrating wood engraving and woodcut techniques into a broader practice. This period coincides with his engagement with Symbolist ideas, where myth and personal vision often supplanted naturalistic representation.

Legacy

Mahana Atua illustrates the artist’s commitment to cross‑medium experimentation and his contribution to the development of modern printmaking. The piece remains a reference point for studies of late 19th‑century Symbolist imagery and the adaptation of Synthetist principles beyond oil paint, influencing later artists who explored the expressive potential of woodcut.

Artist & collection

Artist

Paul Gauguin

Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin (; French: ; 7 June 1848 – 8 May 1903) was a French painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramist, and writer, whose work has been primarily associated with the Post-Impressionist and Symbolist movements.