The Universe is Created (L'Univers est créé), from Fragrance (Noa Noa) 1893 - 1894

Editor: This woodcut, "The Universe is Created" by Paul Gauguin, made around 1894, has such a primordial feel to it. The figures seem to be emerging from some sort of void. It is both beautiful and ominous. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, "L'Univers est créé"... Isn't it extraordinary? Gauguin really leans into the evocative power of woodcut here. The stark contrast creates such dramatic visual energy. To me, it's a dance between the seen and unseen, almost like the world materializing from a dream, or a myth remembered. Do you notice how he's simplified the forms? Editor: Yes! The figures are very stylized, almost like they are symbols rather than people. What's interesting to me is the contrast between the solid forms and the swirling lines which almost look like waves, creating this sense of movement. Curator: Exactly! He’s really pulling from Polynesian mythology and creating his own visual language, like poetry. You see the echoes of Tahitian deities and the rhythms of the natural world... It feels like Gauguin is whispering secrets about creation itself, about where we all come from and the interconnectedness of life. Don’t you think there’s almost a musical quality to the composition? Editor: Absolutely. It's a really unique blend of styles and images! Now I feel like the narrative it conveys is all the more intriguing. Thanks for pointing out so many layers! Curator: My pleasure! Sometimes, the greatest stories are found in the silences, wouldn’t you say? Looking at it with you made me realize just how timeless and poignant his reflections really are!