Artwork
Manao Tupapau (She is Haunted by a Spirit)
Manao Tupapau (She is Haunted by a Spirit) 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, *Manao Tupapau (She is Haunted by a Spirit)* is a woodcut printed on delicate china paper. The image presents a reclining nude figure whose turned head and stark outline suggest an encounter with an unseen presence, while a dark, swirling mass looms behind her, hinting at a spectral force.
Subject & Meaning
The composition juxtaposes the vulnerable human form with a ghostly shape, reflecting Gauguin’s fascination with spiritual and mythological narratives drawn from Polynesian culture. The title, referencing a haunting, invites viewers to contemplate fear, the invisible, and the interplay between the corporeal and the ethereal.
Technique & Style
Gauguin employed traditional woodcut methods, carving the design into a wooden block and pressing it onto the paper to achieve bold, crisp lines and a textured surface. The rapid, sharp strokes give the figure a smooth, almost sculptural quality, while the faint background sketches suggest a distant landscape of trees, a mountain, and a boat.
History & Provenance
The print belongs to Gauguin’s late period, when he increasingly explored printmaking alongside painting. It was produced during his stay in Polynesia, a time when he integrated local motifs and symbolic content into his work, expanding his experimental approach to media.
Context
*Manao Tupapau* sits at the intersection of Post‑Impressionism and Symbolism, movements that prioritized emotional resonance and allegorical meaning over realistic depiction. Gauguin’s use of woodcut aligns with his broader interest in non‑Western techniques and his desire to convey inner states through simplified, expressive forms.
Artist & collection
Artist
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.
