Bathers in Brittany, from the "Volpini Suite: Dessins lithographiques"

Bathers in Brittany, from the "Volpini Suite: Dessins lithographiques" is a seminal work created by Paul Gauguin in 1889 that exemplifies his transitional period toward Symbolism. This print is a zincograph, a planographic technique closely related to lithography, executed here on distinctive chrome yellow wove paper. It belongs to the first edition of the "Volpini Suite," a crucial collection of ten zincographs that Gauguin created to be exhibited independently at the Café Volpini during the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris, bypassing the official Salon system.

The "Volpini Suite" marks Gauguin's first serious foray into printmaking as a means of disseminating his Synthetist aesthetic. The subjects depicted, including female nudes engaged in bathing rituals, reflect the themes of primitive simplicity and rural life he explored extensively while working in Pont-Aven, Brittany. Gauguin’s technique in this piece deliberately simplifies the forms, using bold, dark outlines and minimal modeling, prioritizing emotional and symbolic expression over naturalistic representation. The vibrant, unusual chrome yellow paper serves to heighten the contrast and abstract quality of the figures.

While the composition of the scene suggests a timeless, rustic setting, the emphasis on pattern and simplified planes documents Gauguin's move away from Impressionism. This important work, categorized as one of the definitive early Symbolist prints, is housed within the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. As many of these historic prints transition into the public domain, the graphic works of Gauguin continue to be highly influential in the study of late 19th-century art.