Sketches of Various Animals and Head (recto), Sketches of a Head, Figure in Profile, Anatomical Details, and Animals (verso)

The sheet titled Sketches of Various Animals and Head (recto), Sketches of a Head, Figure in Profile, Anatomical Details, and Animals (verso) by Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903, offers a detailed glimpse into the artist's working methods during a pivotal phase of his career. Dating from 1891-1893, this exploratory drawing showcases Gauguin’s rapid observational skills across both sides of the paper, illustrating his practice of reusing materials quickly. The recto features studies executed entirely in graphite, while the verso incorporates graphite alongside pen and pale-yellow ink. This specific medium note is significant, as the original purple ink has since discolored, highlighting the fragility of the artist's materials from this period.

Removed from a larger sketchbook, this drawing is a valuable repository of preparatory motifs. Dating to the beginning of Gauguin’s time away from France, the sheet reflects his artistic process just as he shifted focus toward the perceived primitivism of the South Seas. The subjects-ranging from observational studies of animals to detailed anatomical details and human figures in profile-suggest the artist was actively cataloging forms and visual references for potential integration into his symbolic paintings and prints of the period. This practice of recording varied elements on a single sheet is characteristic of Gauguin’s approach to developing complex compositions. The careful execution and preservation of these preliminary studies underscore their importance to his overall artistic output. This significant example of French draftsmanship is classified as a drawing and is preserved in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.