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Manao Tupapau (She is Haunted by a Spirit)

Paul Gauguin

1894

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Nude

Dominant colour

Manao Tupapau (She is Haunted by a Spirit) is a 1894 ink by Paul Gauguin, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Paul Gauguin
When & what style?: 1894 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This print shows a dark, shadowy figure lying on a white surface with a small dark shape beside it—maybe a pillow or a person. The background is mostly black with faint outlines of trees or branches at the top. The edges of the paper are uneven, like the artist scraped or cut them by hand. The title hints this might be about a ghost or spirit haunting someone. The rough, sketchy lines and bold colors feel more like a sketch than a finished painting. Look up woodcut to see how artists carve images into wood to print them.