Mahna no Varua Ino (The Demon Speaks) [verso]
1894
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1894
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Mahna no Varua Ino (The Demon Speaks) [verso] is a 1894 ink by Paul Gauguin, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This woodcut shows a dark, shadowy figure with a red outline, sitting hunched and holding its head. Above it, a bright yellow bird with outstretched wings seems to glow against the black background. The colors are bold—reds, yellows, and deep blacks—with rough, uneven lines. The artist used a printing method where ink is pressed into carved wood, creating sharp edges and flat colors. This style makes the image feel raw and intense. Look up woodcut to see how artists carve and print images like this.
