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Paul GauguinBathers1902
1902
About the Item
"Bathers" is an abstract figurative Impressionist monotype with gouache on paper work by Paul Gauguin in 1902. The artwork is 8 7/8 x 10 3/4 inches and is 17 3/4 x 23 3/4 x 7/8 inches with the frame, weighing less than 50 lbs. It is signed lower right with Artist's red monogram.
The monotype holds a distinctive place within Gauguin's oeuvre, offering a window into the artist's innovative process and his quest to reconcile the challenge of unifying painting and drawing. This medium became the foundation of an impressive corpus that evolved from his innovative Brittany woodcuts and, later, as the means to reimagine the boundaries between printmaking, drawing, and painting during his years in Tahiti and the Marquesas.
“Bathers” belongs to Gauguin's 1899–1903 series of "traced monotypes," a technique where the artist drew or pressed on the back of paper placed over an inked or painted surface, resulting in a single reversed impression. This process introduced subtle textures and a sense of immediacy while allowing Gauguin to explore the interplay of positive and negative forms. By late 1902, the artist had begun keying the drawings on the versos of these monotypes to the direction of his paintings, resulting in a deliberate reversal of themes. The reversed orientation of this monotype, for example, is associated with the painting "Famille tahitienne" (W.618, Stephen A. Cohen collection, a.k.a., “A Walk by the Sea”), and it exemplifies this practice, raising intriguing questions about the creation sequence.
The reversed orientation offers a compelling argument for understanding the monotype as a concurrent experiment rather than a preparatory study. Rather than serving as a preliminary blueprint, the monotype served as a dynamic tool for experimentation, allowing Gauguin to analyze and retest compositional ideas, color harmonies, and spatial relationships in real-time. The act of transferring the image introduced an element of unpredictability—textures softened, colors became more fluid, and linear forms took on painterly qualities. This spontaneity enabled Gauguin to step outside the constraints of oil painting, offering him fresh insights into how elements of the composition could evolve. Through this iterative process, the monotype would have informed adjustments to “Famille tahitienne,” enriching the painting's vibrancy, depth, and compositional balance. The interplay between the two mediums underscores Gauguin's innovative approach, treating the monotype not as a secondary exercise but as an integral part of his artistic vision.
Provenance:
Private collection, London
Christie's London, September 16, 2015, lot 18
Private collection, acquired from above
Literature:
Richard S. Field, Paul Gauguin: Monotypes, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, 1973 (not recorded; see no. 99 for a related work)
Richard Brettell, The Art of Paul Gauguin, National Gallery of Art, Washington/ Art Institute of Chicago, 1988, pp. 480-487 (not included; see nos. 272 & 273 for related works)
Ruth Pielkovo (transl.), The Letters of Paul Gauguin to Georges Daniel de Monfreid, New York, 1922, p. 161
- Creator:Paul Gauguin (1848-1903, French)
- Creation Year:1902
- Dimensions:Height: 8.875 in (22.55 cm)Width: 10.75 in (27.31 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:Palm Desert, CA
- Reference Number:Seller: 471241stDibs: LU9315634572
Paul Gauguin
Paul Gauguin revolutionized the art world by transcending the naturalism that dominated 19th-century art, opting for an emotive use of color, form and symbolism. As a leading Post-Impressionist, most of his works now reside in esteemed museums worldwide, making every market appearance a rarity.
Though inspired by the principles of Impressionist visionaries such as Cézanne, Monet, Pissarro and Degas, Gauguin was never one to follow the status quo. Paysage montagneux, for example, is a landscape that exemplifies his groundbreaking technique and is a tribute to his enduring genius. This unique composition is a testament to Gauguin's expertise in color harmonies and painterly brushstrokes, all employed with the artist's signature innovations.
Painted in Pontoise in the summer of 1882, Paysage montagneux, or Mountain Pathway, captures a secluded mountain trail framed by vibrant foliage. Rather than capturing the sky naturalistically lit by sunset hues, Gauguin paints billowing green and blue clouds, contrasting greatly with vivid flora that appears to be lit by a warm waning afternoon sun. Departing from precision to better represent a distinctive sensory experience, this captivating composition turns the conventional landscape painting on its head.
Originally a successful stockbroker and an early aficionado of Impressionist works, Gauguin entered the art world through his association with Camille Pissarro. Blessed with a unique sense of color and zest for life, he originally painted only as a hobby and transformed this pastime into his life’s work in 1882, when the Paris stock market crash cost him his job.
Although he had no formal artistic education, Gauguin was invited to exhibit in the Impressionist exhibitions of 1880, 1881 and 1882. Over time, his innate talent led him to develop an avant-garde style marked by abstract shapes and a compressed sense of space. Gauguin's pioneering sensibilities had a lasting impact, inspiring a new generation of artists to adopt his unique blend of passion, energy and compositional balance.
Gauguin’s works are currently held in the world’s most celebrated museums and private collections. Similar, though less vibrant, landscape compositions are held in the permanent collections of the Louvre, the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
Find original Paul Gauguin art for sale on 1stDibs.
(Biography provided by M.S. Rau)
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