Fox, Busts of Two Women, and a Rabbit, headpiece for Le sourire

Fox, Busts of Two Women, and a Rabbit, headpiece for Le sourire is a powerful wood-block print created by Paul Gauguin (French, 1848-1903) between 1899 and 1900. This piece served as a headpiece for the satirical French journal, Le sourire (The Smile). The medium utilized is a wood-block print executed in black ink on thin, ivory Japanese paper, demonstrating Gauguin's intense dedication to graphic arts during his later career. His choice of woodcut over etching allowed for bold, primitive lines and stark contrasts, aligning with the Symbolist aesthetic he championed.

The composition features two distinct busts of women flanking a central fox, with a small rabbit positioned below. Such enigmatic pairings of human and animal figures are characteristic of Gauguin’s work from this period, often infused with personal symbolism and references to indigenous cultures. Although produced while the artist was living in Tahiti, the work nonetheless reflects the sophisticated artistic and literary movements operating in France at the turn of the century. Gauguin’s exploration of the expressive potential of prints helped define the trajectory of modern graphic arts.

This late work exemplifies how the artist utilized the unique characteristics of the wood-block process to achieve depth and texture through simplified forms. As a significant example within the Art Institute of Chicago's renowned collection of prints, Fox, Busts of Two Women, and a Rabbit, headpiece for Le sourire offers insight into Gauguin's final phase of graphic experimentation. The careful selection of specialized Japanese paper and high-quality technique underscore the importance Gauguin placed on these prints, many of which are now available for scholarly study through the public domain.