("Leda") Design for a Plate: Shame on Those Who Evil Think (Honi Soit Qui Mal y Pense); cover illustration for the "Volpini Suite" entitled Lithographic Drawings (Dessins lithographiques) is a vibrant and experimental print created by Paul Gauguin in 1889. This crucial work served as the cover illustration for the influential portfolio of zincographs, which Gauguin produced and exhibited at the Café Volpini near the Universal Exhibition in Paris that year. The medium employed is complex: a zincograph executed on distinctive chrome yellow wove paper, which was then meticulously colored by hand with watercolor and opaque gouache. This elaborate process transforms the basic print into a unique, highly saturated artwork, emphasizing the decorative and graphic qualities characteristic of Gauguin’s developing aesthetic.
The composition features highly stylized profiles of women, reflecting Gauguin’s immediate shift toward Symbolism and his growing interest in integrating decorative art elements. The central design is surrounded by intricate circular borders incorporating repetitive patterns of stylized flowers and leaves, reminiscent of a ceramic plate or assiette. The inscription Honi Soit Qui Mal y Pense, derived from the motto of the Order of the Garter, translates to "Shame on Those Who Evil Think," perhaps serving as a pointed commentary or a wry philosophical reflection on the mythology and sensuality suggested by the primary Leda imagery.
As a significant example of Gauguin’s transitional period, this piece highlights his move away from Impressionist techniques toward an aesthetic defined by flattened forms, bold outlines, and intense, unbroken color fields. Classified as a print, the unique, hand-colored nature of this particular zincograph makes it a distinct surviving example from the Volpini Suite. The work is currently housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and, due to its historical importance, is often cited in studies of early modernist prints and frequently made available through public domain collections.
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