Title Page for "Le Sourire" (Titre du Sourire)

1899

Paul Gauguin

Associated Names
Paul Gauguin

Artist, French, 1848 - 1903

This is a painting of an abstract scene with various figures and text. The image features a stylized text "Le Souri type" near the top left. To the left, an abstract form resembling a creature or figure with distinct shapes and patterns is present. In the central area, abstract shapes give the impression of seated or cloaked figures, defined by heavy lines and curls suggestive of fabric. On the right, another figure appears to be resting their head on folded hands, their features somewhat discerned with swirling lines and textures. The painting is executed with bold black and white contrasts, featuring pronounced use of negative space. The overall composition appears to be a woodcut or linocut, characterized by robust, deliberate line work and strong contrasting areas.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    woodcut on Japan paper

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    image: 10 × 18.7 cm (3 15/16 × 7 3/8 in.)
    sheet: 14.2 × 22.8 cm (5 9/16 × 9 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.4612

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Mongan et al. 1988, no. 58, State B (only state)


Artwork history & notes

Bibliography

1927

  • Guérin, Marcel. L'Oeuvre gravé de Gauguin. 2 vols. Paris: H. Floury, 1927.

1988

  • Mongan, Elizabeth, Eberhard W. Kornfeld, and Harold Joachim. Paul Gauguin: Catalogue Raisonne of his Prints. Berne: Galerie Kornfeld, 1988.

Inscriptions

recto: in image, in block: Le Sourire; in image, in black ink, at lower left: P G; in image, in black ink, at lower right: No. 3; verso: none

Markings

none

Watermarks

none

Wikidata ID

Q64960969

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