L’univers est créé (The Universe Is Being Created), from the Noa Noa Suite 1893 - 1894

Paul Gauguin made this woodcut, L’univers est créé, as part of his Noa Noa Suite. It visualizes the artist’s understanding of Tahitian creation myths. Gauguin lived in French Polynesia in the 1890s, during a period of French colonialism. He sought to escape what he saw as the corruption of European society, though his understanding of Tahitian culture was shaped by colonial narratives. This print reflects the blending of Tahitian spiritual beliefs with Gauguin’s own artistic vision. The printmaking process itself is important here. Woodcut is a traditional technique, yet Gauguin used it to depict a non-Western subject. This juxtaposition challenges the art world’s traditional hierarchies. Understanding Gauguin’s work requires examining both his art and the complex history of colonialism. Diaries, letters, and historical accounts from the period are invaluable resources. Art, after all, is inseparable from its social and institutional context.