Change of Residence, from the Suite of Late Wood-Block Prints

Change of Residence, from the Suite of Late Wood-Block Prints, is a significant layered print created by Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903, in 1899. This complex work, classified as a wood-block print, demonstrates Gauguin's unconventional mastery of the medium. The final product is a composite: a second-state impression executed in black ink on thin ivory Japanese paper, which has been meticulously laid down onto a foundational first-state impression printed in ocher ink on grayish-ivory wove paper. This unique technique of combining different states and colors in a single image was experimental for its time, lending the composition a profound textural depth and chromatic subtlety seldom seen in traditional prints.

The creation of the Change of Residence suite coincided with Gauguin’s final years, during which he focused intensely on printmaking as a means to convey symbolic and spiritual narratives, contrasting the aesthetic norms of contemporary France. Gauguin (1848-1903) often manipulated his woodblocks to highlight the raw quality of the wood grain, emphasizing primitivism and elemental form characteristic of his late Post-Impressionist style. The inclusion of a partial offset impression of the second state on the verso further documents the artist's hands-on involvement with the printing process and the transient nature of the plates. As a key example of the artist’s graphic experiments, this print remains a vital resource for scholars. The original work is a crucial part of the collection at the Art Institute of Chicago, making the study of Gauguin's late prints accessible to the public domain through high-quality documentation.