Tahitian Idol—the Goddess Hina - Paul Gauguin

Gift of Frank B. Hubachek

"Tahitian Idol—the Goddess Hina" by Paul Gauguin (1894/95) Wood-block print in black ink, over brush and solvent thinned and selectively applied ocher, reddish-orange and touches of green wax-and-resin-based media, on cream wove paper.

Commentary

"Tahitian Idol—the Goddess Hina" by Paul Gauguin (1894/95) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together. Themes to notice include woodcut. This piece is held in the source collection's Prints and D rawings collection. Paul Gauguin is the artist behind this work. A useful anchor for reading the piece: Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903. The work is cataloged within a France cultural context. How to look at this work: It is cataloged as woodcut, which gives a clue to how the museum frames the object. Its medium (Wood-block print in black ink, over brush and solvent thinned and selectively applied ocher, reddish-orange and touches of green wax-and-resin-based media, on cream wove paper) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances. Its listed dimensions (Image/sheet: 15 × 12 cm (5 15/16 × 4 3/4 in.)) suggest how intimate or monumental it may feel in person. Subject cues from the catalog include woodcut. Compare this reading with the museum record at the source collection: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/60745

Sources: Art Institute of Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago / Public Records; Art Institute of Chicago Collection Data