Fragrance (Noa Noa), from Fragrance (Noa Noa), title block 1893 - 1894

This woodcut, Fragrance (Noa Noa), was created by Paul Gauguin. The dark tones of the woodcut create a somber, earthy atmosphere, drawing us into Gauguin’s vision of Tahiti. The composition is divided into distinct layers: from the detailed foliage at the top, down to the figures and the suggestions of the ground beneath. Gauguin’s rough carving technique emphasizes the material quality of the wood itself. The use of the wood grain enhances the image’s texture, reinforcing the primitivist aesthetic that Gauguin embraced. The flatness of the woodcut challenges traditional perspective, flattening the space and drawing attention to the surface. The visual language used presents a world where the spiritual and physical coexist. Gauguin isn't merely depicting a scene; he's constructing a visual language that challenges Western notions of beauty and representation. This piece serves as a cultural artifact that encourages a re-evaluation of how we perceive and assign value to art.