Manao tupapau (She Thinks of the Ghost or The Ghost Thinks of Her), from the Noa Noa Suite 1893 - 1894

Paul Gauguin carved "Manao tupapau," meaning "She Thinks of the Ghost," into a woodblock, likely in the 1890s, during his time in Tahiti. The central figure is a reclining Tahitian woman, her posture suggesting both vulnerability and apprehension. Gauguin's work echoes the themes found in earlier European art, such as the reclining Venus, yet infused with Polynesian spirituality. The tupapau, or spirit of the dead, is a figure of both fear and reverence. Death, as a motif, transcends cultures and eras. Think of the ancient Egyptian depictions of Anubis guiding souls, or even the medieval European danse macabre. Here, the ghost's presence and the woman's thoughts on the afterlife are a universal symbol. She embodies our collective fears and fascinations about what lies beyond, reflecting a deep, subconscious connection to the unknown.