Pape moe

Pape moe is a significant drawing created by Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903, during 1893-1894. Classification as a drawing belies the highly complex and experimental combination of materials utilized in this piece. Gauguin executed the work using watercolor, black fabricated chalk, pen and ink, and touches of brush and black ink, all applied to heavily textured ivory wove paper. This intricate approach demonstrates the artist's Post-Impressionist desire to synthesize diverse media, blurring the lines between traditional graphic arts and painting.

Dating from a critical juncture in Gauguin’s career, the work reflects his ongoing engagement with Polynesian subjects following his first major return to France. The artist uses the stark linear quality of the black chalk and pen lines to define structure, while applying vibrant washes of watercolor to establish color and atmosphere. Notably, the drawing’s technical history shows that the brown ink used for outlining was originally purple, a common instance of fugitive pigments oxidizing over time, offering crucial insight into 19th-century material science.

The skillful application of mixed media is characteristic of Gauguin’s methodology in the 1890s, where drawings and watercolors often served as preparatory studies or independent visual explorations of his core themes. As a pivotal example of the artist’s output, the work holds enduring importance for scholars studying the art of France during this period. For those wishing to study this important classification, high-quality reference prints are often available through museum and public domain initiatives. This major piece is permanently housed in the esteemed collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.