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Te Po (The Long Night)

Paul Gauguin

1894

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Te Po (The Long Night) 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 night scene with two figures lying on a yellow beach. One figure holds a glowing lantern, casting light on the sand. In the background, a large sun or moon with a face floats above, surrounded by wavy lines that look like clouds or waves. The word *TE PO* is carved at the bottom, which means "the long night" in Māori. The artist used bold colors—blacks, yellows, and oranges—to create strong contrasts. Look up woodcut to see how this print was made.