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Ia Orana Maria (Hail Mary)

1891
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 825
Before embarking on a series of pictures inspired by Polynesian religious beliefs, Gauguin devoted this, his first major Tahitian canvas, to a Christian theme, describing it in a letter of March 1892: "An angel with yellow wings reveals Mary and Jesus, both Tahitians, to two Tahitian women, nudes dressed in pareus, a sort of cotton cloth printed with flowers that can be draped from the waist. Very somber, mountainous background and flowering trees . . . a dark violet path and an emerald green foreground, with bananas on the left. I'm rather happy with it." Gauguin based much of the composition on a photograph he owned of a bas-relief in the Javanese temple of Borobudur.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Ia Orana Maria (Hail Mary)
  • Artist: Paul Gauguin (French, Paris 1848–1903 Atuona, Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands)
  • Date: 1891
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 44 3/4 x 34 1/2 in. (113.7 x 87.6 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Sam A. Lewisohn, 1951
  • Object Number: 51.112.2
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

Audio

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924. Ia Orana Maria (Hail Mary)

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Hail Mary (Ia Orana Maria), Paul Gauguin French, Fabricated charcoal, red chalk, and white pastel on formerly blue wove paper, mounted on millboard with strips of rose-colored wove paper along two edges
Hail Mary (Ia Orana Maria)
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ca. 1893–95
Portfolio of facsimiles of works by Paul Gauguin, Berlin (Marees Gesellschaft), 1926
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Study for Maternité II, Paul Gauguin French, Graphite
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Noa Noa. Voyage de Tahiti
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Le Sourire, Paul Gauguin French, Woodcut on china paper
Le Sourire
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