Sketches of Figures and Foliage (recto); Profile of Charles Laval with Palm Tree and Other Sketches (verso)

The detailed drawing, Sketches of Figures and Foliage (recto); Profile of Charles Laval with Palm Tree and Other Sketches (verso), was created by Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903, in 1887. This highly significant piece is a double-sided work, executed on mottled blue wove paper originally incorporated into a sketchbook. The recto combines black fabricated chalk and watercolor to quickly outline studies of figures and various tropical foliage.

The verso, conversely, employs black fabricated chalk combined with pen and brown ink, showcasing a nuanced shift in media. It features a recognizable profile portrait of Gauguin's close friend and fellow artist, Charles Laval, adjacent to a distinct sketch of a palm tree.

Dating to 1887, this drawing captures a pivotal period in Gauguin's artistic development, immediately following his pivotal trip to Martinique alongside Laval. The exotic subject matter, particularly the palm tree study, underscores the growing influence of non-European environments on the artist's aesthetic and foreshadows his later Symbolist interests. These rapid, exploratory uses of drawing media suggest they were immediate observations recorded outside of a formal studio setting.

Technical analysis notes that the original mottled blue wove paper, which contained blue fibers, has aged, altering its color to a light gray on the recto and a bluish-gray on the verso. Removed from a larger sketchbook, this piece highlights Gauguin’s innovative approach to line and form as he moved away from traditional artistic conventions in France. This important historical drawing resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.