Joies de Bretagne (Joys of Brittany), from the Volpini Suite

Joies de Bretagne (Joys of Brittany), from the Volpini Suite by Paul Gauguin (French, 1848-1903), stands as a significant example of his printmaking innovations during the late 1880s. Created in 1889, this print is one of eleven works produced for the landmark exhibition held at the Café des Arts, run by Monsieur Volpini, adjacent to the Exposition Universelle in Paris. Gauguin utilized the medium of zincograph, a planographic technique akin to lithography, rendered in black ink on a distinct chrome yellow wove paper. This stark combination emphasizes the flatness and decorative quality sought by the Synthetist movement that Gauguin championed.

The subject matter reflects the artist’s deep engagement with the culture and rustic simplicity of Brittany, France. Produced shortly after his first stay in Pont-Aven, the scene captures communal life or ritual, interpreted as celebrating the local traditions symbolized by the title. The limited palette and simplified forms evident in Joies de Bretagne are crucial to Gauguin's anti-naturalistic approach, favoring emotional or symbolic expression over realistic depiction. This aesthetic marked a deliberate break from Impressionism, placing the artist at the forefront of the Symbolist generation in France.

The creation of these early prints was essential for Gauguin to disseminate his new style to a wider audience, demonstrating his versatility outside of oil painting. As a rare early graphic work, this particular impression offers crucial insight into the artist's experimental phase. This historic print, a foundational piece in the history of modern graphic art, is housed within the esteemed collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, making the study of Gauguin's seminal work widely accessible today.