Maruru (Offerings of Gratitude)

In 1891 Paul Gauguin traveled to Tahiti, seeking a more authentic style of art making than the conservatism he rejected in Western culture. After returning to Paris in 1893, he began working on <em>Noa Noa,</em> an illustrated book that explained and illustrated his experiences abroad. Although the project was never completed, this print is one of its illustrations. Gauguin depicted a lush landscape by chiseling roughly into a woodblock, a technique meant to suggest relief sculpture he viewed in Tahiti. This style is emphasized by the irregularly applied ink of <em>Maruru</em>—one of only a few impressions Gauguin printed himself.