Old Women of Arles, from the "Volpini Suite: Dessins lithographiques"
Original title: Old Women of Arles, from the "Volpini Suite: Dessins lithographiques"
kurzbeschreibung
Paul Gauguin made "Old Women of Arles" in 1889 as a zincograph in the first edition, printed on chrome yellow wove paper. The image presents a group of elderly women in traditional dress, set within a rural environment of trees and shrubs.
Description
The layout unfolds horizontally: in the foreground, several older women stand and sit, some wearing hats. Their clothing follows traditional patterns. Trees and bushes form the rear area. Grey tones dominate the colouring, as is typical for lithographs. Light is distributed evenly, with no shadows. The expressive style emphasises form and flat areas.
Context
This print belongs to the "Volpini Suite", a series of ten zincographs that Gauguin produced in 1889 for the exhibition at the Café Volpini in Paris. That presentation ran parallel to the World's Fair and brought together works by the Impressionists and Synthetists around Gauguin. The old women of Arles refer to Gauguin's stay in the southern French city, where he worked with Vincent van Gogh in 1888.
Impact
The restrained palette and clear outlines give the sheet a calm, monumental presence. Expressive lines and the simplification of the figures create a quiet, almost archaic mood. The motif appears like a stylised snapshot of rural life.
Technique
For the execution, Gauguin chose zincography, a planographic printing method in which one draws directly on the zinc plate. The impression was taken on chrome yellow wove paper, which gives the monochrome motif a warm tone. The first edition can be recognised by strong, clear prints.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)