Artwork
Noa Noa: L'Univers est créé (The Universe is Created)
Noa Noa: L'Univers est créé (The Universe is Created) is a print by the Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin. It dates from 1894 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Noa Noa: L'Univers est créé (The Universe is Created) is a 1894 print by Paul Gauguin, characterized by a chaotic, dreamlike scene with swirling shapes, figures, and bold light-dark contrasts.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a tumultuous creation scene, centered around a large, shadowy face and smaller, skeletal bodies, amidst a stormy, jagged backdrop. A figure grasps a bird or bat-like creature, evoking chaos over orderly creation.
Technique & Style
Gauguin employed wood engraving techniques to achieve bold, expressive contrasts of light and dark, exemplifying his Synthetist style—a distinct Post-Impressionist and Symbolist approach emphasizing flat forms and emotional intensity.
History & Provenance
Created in 1894, the print is now part of the Cleveland Museum of Art's collection, reflecting Gauguin's experimentation with printmaking during this period.
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.
