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Ia Orana Maria (Ave Maria)

Paul Gauguin French

1891

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 825

Avant une série de tableaux inspirés par les croyances religieuses de Polynésie, Gauguin consacra sa première grande toile tahitienne à un thème cher au christianisme, qu’il décrit dans une lettre de mars 1892 : « Un ange aux ailes jaunes montre Marie et Jésus, tous deux Tahitiens, à deux Tahitiennes nues à l’exception d’un paréo, cette cotonnade à fleurs qui se drape autour de la taille. Fond de montagne très sombre et d’arbres en fleurs. » Le titre de l’œuvre renvoie aux premiers mots adressés par l’archange Gabriel à la Vierge Marie, au moment de l’Annonciation. « Ia orana » est le salut traditionnel tahitien.

#6009. Ia Orana Maria (Ave Maria)

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Ia Orana Maria (Hail Mary), Paul Gauguin (French, Paris 1848–1903 Atuona, Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands), Oil on canvas — Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Ia Orana Maria (Hail Mary), Paul Gauguin (French, Paris 1848–1903 Atuona, Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands), Oil on canvas

Ia Orana Maria (Hail Mary), Paul Gauguin (French, Paris 1848–1903 Atuona, Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands), Oil on canvas

Ia Orana Maria (Hail Mary), Paul Gauguin (French, Paris 1848–1903 Atuona, Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands), Oil on canvas

Ia Orana Maria (Hail Mary), Paul Gauguin (French, Paris 1848–1903 Atuona, Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands), Oil on canvas

Ia Orana Maria (Hail Mary), Paul Gauguin (French, Paris 1848–1903 Atuona, Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands), Oil on canvas

Ia Orana Maria (Hail Mary), Paul Gauguin (French, Paris 1848–1903 Atuona, Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands), Oil on canvas

Ia Orana Maria (Hail Mary), Paul Gauguin (French, Paris 1848–1903 Atuona, Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands), Oil on canvas

Ia Orana Maria (Hail Mary), Paul Gauguin (French, Paris 1848–1903 Atuona, Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands), Oil on canvas

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Fig. 1. Paul Gauguin, Letter to Daniel de Monfreid, March 11, 1892 (Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris)

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Fig. 2. Paul Gauguin, "Yellow Christ," 1889, oil on canvas, 36 1/4 x 28 7/8 inches (92.07 x 73.34 cm) (Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo)

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Fig. 3. Anonymous, Dancers at the Javanese Village, 1889, albumen print (Bibliothèque historique de la ville de Paris, Paris Album 4029)

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Fig. 4. Anonymous, Relief from Temple at Borobudur, Java (Top register: The Tathagat Meets an Ajiwaka Monk on the Benares Road; bottom register: Merchant Maitraknayake Greeted by Nymphs), albumen photograph, 9 ¼ x 11 ½ in. (23.5 x 29.2 cm), formerly in the collection of Paul Gauguin (Musée de Tahiti et des îles/Te Fare Manaha, Tahiti)

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Fig. 5. Anonymous, Relief from Temple of Borobudur, Java (Top register: The Assault of Mara; bottom register: Scene from the Bhallatiya-Jakata), albumen photograph, 9 ½ x 11 3/8 in. (24.1 x 28.9 cm), formerly in the collection of Paul Gauguin (Musée de Tahiti et des îles/Te Fare Manaha, Tahiti)

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Fig. 6. Paul Gauguin,"Faa Iheihe," 1898, oil on canvas, 21 ¼ x 66 ¾ in. (54 x 169.5 cm) (Tate Modern, London)

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Fig. 7. Paul Gauguin, "Change of Residence," from the Suite of Late Wood-Block Prints, ca. 1899, woodcut printed in ochre and black on thin Japanese tissue pasted to ivory wove paper, 6 ½ x 11 7/8 in. (Art Institute of Chicago)

Titre: Ia Orana Maria (Ave Maria)

Artiste: Paul Gauguin, Français, 1848–1903

Date: 1891

Technique: Huile sur toile

Dimensions: 113,7 x 87,6 cm

Crédits: Legs de Sam A. Lewisohn, 1951

Accession Number: 51.112.2

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