Memory of Meijer de Haan

Memory of Meijer de Haan, created by Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903 between 1896 and 1897, is a richly worked print reflecting the artist's highly experimental approach to graphic media during his second period in the South Pacific. This demanding wood-block print utilizes a complex, layered technique. It was printed twice in contrasting black and brown inks onto a sensitive cream Japanese paper, creating a depth of tone rarely achieved through single impressions.

Gauguin further enhanced the composition by employing dry brush techniques and strategically applying gray and ocher watercolors by hand. This combination of print process and singular coloring elevates the piece beyond standard classification, lending the final artwork a unique, painterly presence typical of the Symbolist master’s late work.

The title itself suggests a memorial or remembrance of the Dutch artist Meijer de Haan, a close friend and colleague of Gauguin’s from their time in Brittany, who had died several years earlier. Though executed thousands of miles away in Tahiti, the print carries the influence of Symbolism developed in France, utilizing stark contrasts and simplified forms to convey emotion rather than strict representation. These late prints represent a pivotal era where Gauguin explored themes of memory and mysticism through the raw aesthetics of the woodcut. The print, a significant example of French graphic arts, is currently held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.