The Grasshoppers and the Ants: A Souvenir of Martinique
Original title: The Grasshoppers and the Ants: A Souvenir of Martinique, from the "Volpini Suite: Dessins lithographiques"
kurzbeschreibung
On chrome-yellow wove paper, Paul Gauguin's 1889 zincograph captures a rural scene from Martinique. Titled 'The Grasshoppers and the Ants: A Memory of Martinique,' the print belongs to the first edition of the 'Volpini Suite: Dessins lithographiques.'
Description
Several figures in Caribbean dress, some wearing hats and loose garments, balance fruit or loads on their heads. They sit, stand, or walk, while trees and sky are only suggested. The arrangement stretches broadly across the sheet, and the print is monochrome with a strong interplay of dark lines and light ground. Light appears evenly distributed, with no shadows.
Context
In 1887, Gauguin traveled to Martinique and observed daily life there. Two years later, in 1889, he made this zincograph in Pont-Aven. It appeared in the 'Volpini Suite,' a portfolio of lithographs he presented for the Paris Exposition Universelle. The motif alludes to the fable of the grasshoppers and the ants, but transposes it to Caribbean colonial society.
Impact
The clear outlines and flat distribution give the image a calm, almost decorative quality. Because shadows are absent and light remains uniform, the view feels timelessly still. The viewer's gaze lingers on the figures and their daily tasks.
Technique
As a zincograph, the sheet uses a zinc plate for lithographic printing. The impression on chrome-yellow wove paper lends a warm tone to the monochrome image. The process allows precise lines and flat tonal values, comparable to Gauguin's woodcuts.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)