Maria met kind en vrouw met gevouwen handen

The work Maria met kind en vrouw met gevouwen handen by Paul Gauguin, created in 1894, is a notable graphic work executed on paper. This image depicts a scene central to Christian iconography: the Virgin Mary (Maria) holding the Christ Child (kind), observed by another woman whose posture of clasped, or folded, hands (gevouwen handen) suggests deep reverence or devotion. The composition is characteristic of Gauguin’s Symbolist style, utilizing heavy outlines and simplified, block-like forms to convey spiritual gravity rather than realistic detail.

During the mid-1890s, Gauguin actively explored printmaking as a primary means to disseminate his radical ideas and stylistic innovations, particularly his use of Synthetist principles. This piece, created during a brief sojourn in France before his final return to the South Pacific, transcends simple illustration, functioning instead as a deeply personal and often unsettling Symbolist interpretation of traditional religious themes. Even when addressing the European subject of the Madonna and Child, Gauguin infused his figures with a raw, simplified quality, reflecting his ongoing dialogue with non-Western visual cultures and his persistent search for artistic authenticity outside of academic tradition.

The existence of this graphic work confirms Gauguin’s dedication to producing quality prints alongside his well-known paintings. As a vital example of late 19th-century Symbolist art, this piece is classified as a print and preserved in the prestigious collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Due to the artwork’s historical stature and age, high-resolution reproductions of such important prints are often made available to the public, entering the sphere of public domain art and allowing for widespread study and appreciation of Gauguin’s diverse output.