The Universe Is Created (1893–94, Met-Objekt 762)
Original title: The Universe Is Created
kurzbeschreibung
Created in 1893–94, Paul Gauguin's color woodcut 'Das Universum wird erschaffen' presents an abstracted scene with two human figures against a dark ground. It belongs to a series of woodcuts made during his Tahiti period.
Description
In the foreground crouches a figure wearing a striking headpiece patterned in red and white. Beside it stands a second human figure, equally embedded in the dark surroundings. Behind them, forms blur into something suggestive of plants or wings. The tonal range stays mostly somber, broken by white and red accents; light falls from above, sharpening the contours.
Context
Gauguin cut this woodcut during his first stay in Tahiti, when he was deeply engaged with local culture and mythology. The print is part of a set of ten woodcuts he printed in Paris in 1893–94 to process his South Sea experiences artistically. Christian creation motifs merge with Polynesian myths—a trait typical of Gauguin's work from this phase.
Impact
From the first glance, the subdued light that breaks out of the depths of darkness captivates and directs the figures' gazes. The enigmatic, almost archaic mood arises from the interplay of deep shadows and glaring patches of color. The coarse structure of the woodcut adds its part: immediate, expressive, without smoothness.
Technique
For this color woodcut on wove paper, Gauguin used several woodblocks, one for each color area. The process leaves visible lines and traces that give the image a rough, handcrafted note.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)