Artwork
Te Atua (The Gods) Small Plate [verso]
![Te Atua (The Gods) Small Plate [verso], by Paul Gauguin, ink, 1895](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/paul-gauguin--te-atua-the-gods-small-plate-verso--c45d9a147596fd0a-w1024.webp)
Te Atua (The Gods) Small Plate [verso] is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin. It dates from 1895 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1895, Te Atua (The Gods) Small Plate [verso] is a black woodcut on wove paper by Paul Gauguin. The work belongs to the artist’s printmaking output during his late‑career period, when he explored the expressive possibilities of woodcut as a medium for his Symbolist concerns.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents three ethereal figures suspended within a turbulent, dark space. A large, shadowy head with outstretched arms dominates the upper area, while two smaller, indistinct forms below appear to strain upward, suggesting a struggle or ascent within an ambiguous, perhaps spiritual, realm.
Technique & Style
Gauguin employed the traditional woodcut process: carving the design into a wood block, inking the raised surfaces, and pressing the ink onto paper. The resulting texture is rough and highly contrasted, with stark black lines cutting through a chaotic background of swirling marks that heighten the sense of movement and tension.
History & Provenance
The print is part of Gauguin’s extensive work in wood engraving and woodcut, a practice he pursued alongside painting during the 1890s. It reflects his broader engagement with printmaking as a vehicle for disseminating his Symbolist ideas, though specific ownership details for this particular plate are not widely documented.
Context
During the mid‑1890s Gauguin was immersed in the Symbolist movement, seeking to convey inner states rather than literal representation. His interest in non‑Western cultures and mythic themes informed the title Te Atua (The Gods), aligning the work with his ongoing exploration of spirituality and the unseen.
Own this work as a print
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.
