Plate with the Head of a Horned Devil (Planche au diable cornu)

Gauguin carved the design directly into a woodblock, exploiting the medium’s inherent contrast between carved-away areas and inked surfaces. The resulting lines are bold and angular, with minimal gradation, emphasizing silhouette over detail. The use of thin Japanese paper allowed for subtle ink absorption, enhancing the print’s ethereal quality. His approach aligns with Synthetism: reducing forms to essential shapes to convey emotional and symbolic weight rather than optical accuracy.

This print was produced during Gauguin’s second stay in Tahiti, a period marked by financial hardship and physical decline. He made limited impressions of his woodcuts, often printing them on unconventional papers, including Japanese tissue, to achieve specific textural effects. Few original impressions survive, and this work is among the more enigmatic in his print oeuvre, with uncertain early ownership records before entering institutional collections.

In the mid-1890s, Gauguin sought to distance himself from European artistic norms, turning to indigenous cultures for inspiration. His woodcuts, including this one, were influenced by Oceanic carvings and medieval wood engravings, which he admired for their directness. The horned figure may reference both Polynesian deities and European folklore, reflecting his interest in syncretism and the universal nature of mythic archetypes.

Though less celebrated than his paintings, Gauguin’s woodcuts influenced later Expressionist and Primitivist artists who valued their raw, symbolic power. *Plate with the Head of a Horned Devil* exemplifies his belief that printmaking could convey spiritual depth as effectively as painting. Its haunting simplicity and unresolved symbolism continue to resonate in discussions of non-Western influence on modern art and the role of the artist as mythmaker.