Buddha, from the Suite of Late Wood-Block Prints

Buddha, from the Suite of Late Wood-Block Prints is a defining example of the graphic work produced by Paul Gauguin (French, 1848-1903) near the end of his career, executed between 1898 and 1899. This intense image was rendered through the demanding technique of the wood-block print, utilizing rich black ink on thin ivory Japanese paper. Reflecting the artist’s persistent interest in Asian aesthetics and fine printmaking traditions, the delicate primary sheet was subsequently perimeter mounted onto a sturdier sheet of white Japanese paper.

As one of the Suite of Late Wood-Block Prints, the work demonstrates Gauguin’s continued commitment to simplified, primal forms and the expressive potential of stark contrast. Even while based primarily in the South Pacific, Gauguin often integrated global religious and spiritual imagery into his compositions, as seen in the depiction of the Buddha. The figure is rendered with the bold, heavy-carved lines characteristic of his later graphic style, focusing on emotional resonance and symbolic weight rather than academic realism. The use of the wood-block print medium enhanced the dramatic quality of the work, allowing light and shadow to articulate the figure powerfully.

The classification of this piece as a print underscores Gauguin's significant contribution to printmaking in late nineteenth-century France. His innovative approach helped redefine the medium as a primary vehicle for avant-garde expression. This singular work offers key insight into the artist’s final artistic explorations and is maintained within the distinguished collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.