Human Miseries, from the Suite of Late Wood-Block Prints

Human Miseries, from the Suite of Late Wood-Block Prints, was created by Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903, between 1898 and 1899. This powerful image exemplifies Gauguin’s late printmaking style, executed during his residence in the South Pacific yet maintaining strong ties to the burgeoning Symbolist movements in France.

The work is a meticulous wood-block print rendered in dense black ink. Gauguin utilized the delicate contrast afforded by printing on thin ivory Japanese paper, which was subsequently laid down onto a heavier sheet of supportive white Japanese paper. This layering technique emphasizes the rugged texture inherent in the wood-block medium, allowing the deeply gouged lines and raw surfaces to contribute significantly to the overall composition.

Gauguin often employed printmaking to explore profound, universal themes of suffering and existential concern, subjects clearly reflected in the title and the stark visual language of this suite. Unlike the smoothness of his oil paintings, the woodcuts from this period embrace an intentional crudeness. The simplified forms and heavy black contrasts heighten the emotional intensity of Human Miseries, underscoring the artist’s rejection of academic refinement in favor of raw expressive power.

This seminal example of late 19th-century French graphic work is housed in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Gauguin’s complex process and thematic engagement solidified his reputation as a master of modern prints, and this work remains a focal point for studies concerning the graphic arts available in public domain collections.