Noa Noa: Manao Yupapau ( Watched by the Spirts of the Dead)
1894
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1894
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This print shows a reclining nude woman with a dark, rounded shape behind her—maybe a rock or a shadow. Her body is drawn in bold, scratchy lines, and the background has a mountain and a bird flying. The edges of the paper are filled with quick, sketchy marks, like trees or waves. The title hints at a story about spirits watching over her. Gauguin made this while living in Tahiti, far from France, and the style feels loose and dreamy. If you like this, look up Paul Gauguin to see how his time in Tahiti changed his art.
