The Drama of the Sea
Original title: The Drama of the Sea, from the "Volpini Suite: Dessins lithographiques"
kurzbeschreibung
Paul Gauguin made the zincograph Das Drama des Meeres in 1889 as part of the Volpini Suite. Turbulent waves collide at the center of the image, with a small island and a ship behind them.
Description
Towering, richly worked waves sweep across the sheet, crossing in the middle and conveying the water's force. Further back lies a narrow strip of land or an island, and in front of it a small boat with a single figure. Grays dominate, set against the chrome yellow paper. The arrangement is asymmetrical, with the waves as the core. At the bottom of the sheet appear the artist's name and the title.
Context
Gauguin produced the print in 1889 in Pont-Aven; it appeared in the Volpini Suite, a group of graphics for the exhibition at the Café Volpini during the Paris World's Fair. With zinc lithography he explored a technique that allowed larger editions. The sheet reflects his then-current interest in expressive depictions of nature, which also shaped his painting of those years.
Impact
The surging wave lines and the interplay of dark grays with the yellow paper give the sheet a direct, vigorous presence. Because the palette remains limited, the expressive drawing stands out and creates a mood that feels almost threatening.
Technique
As a zincograph, the sheet belongs to planographic printing: the drawing is applied to a zinc plate and pulled from it. It was printed on chrome yellow wove paper, producing an unusual hue. The lines are delicate and rich in detail, characteristic of Gauguin's prints from those years.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)