A Breton Woman and a Standing Man; Head and Hand of a Monkey [recto]

"A Breton Woman and a Standing Man; Head and Hand of a Monkey [recto]" by Paul Gauguin is an important drawing executed between 1884 and 1888, a crucial time in the artist's stylistic development. This piece was created using crayon and graphite on wove paper, illustrating Gauguin's mastery of preliminary sketching techniques as he moved away from Impressionism toward his unique Synthetist style.

The subject matter reflects Gauguin’s deep engagement with rural life in France during this transitional phase. As a French artist working across the period of 1876 to 1900, Gauguin spent considerable time in Brittany, seeking subjects that embodied a perceived purity and tradition, contrasting sharply with the industrialized bustle of Paris. The primary study features figures in traditional Breton dress, providing the artist with opportunities to explore form and costume that he would translate into his later, more symbolic paintings.

Technically, the use of both crayon and graphite allows Gauguin to establish quick tonal variations and define contours, revealing the spontaneous energy of his drafting process. The sheet also contains two detailed, though seemingly unrelated, studies of the head and hand of a monkey. This juxtaposition suggests that the paper functioned as a dynamic page within a sketchbook, where the artist developed distinct ideas and motifs concurrently. The presence of such detailed animal study alongside human figures highlights Gauguin’s comprehensive observational practice.

This preparatory work offers valuable insight into the evolution of Gauguin’s visual vocabulary before his pivotal move to the South Pacific. Classified definitively as a drawing, the piece demonstrates the artist’s foundational skill prior to his major coloristic innovations. This significant piece of French Post-Impressionist history is housed within the distinguished collection of the National Gallery of Art. Due to the age and cultural relevance of works from this era, high-quality prints and studies created by Gauguin are increasingly made available through public domain initiatives.