Soyez amoureuses, vous serez heureuses (Love, and You Will be Happy), from the Suite of Late Wood-Block Prints

Soyez amoureuses, vous serez heureuses (Love, and You Will be Happy), from the Suite of Late Wood-Block Prints, created by Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903 in 1899, showcases the artist’s highly experimental approach to printmaking near the end of his career. This wood-block print is distinguished by its intricate, multi-layered construction: it is a second-state impression rendered in black ink on thin ivory Japanese paper, which has been meticulously laid down onto a first-state impression printed in yellow ocher ink. This delicate layering of different states and colors on the recto (front) creates a unique visual depth, characteristic of Gauguin’s attempts to merge painting qualities with the print medium. The contrast between the stark black line work and the soft yellow ocher foundation defines the composition's powerful, evocative mood. The verso even features a partial offset impression of the second state in black and yellow ocher ink on grayish-ivory wove paper.

By the late 1890s, Gauguin was working within the Symbolist tradition, often using wood-block prints as a primary vehicle for non-narrative, personal imagery. The experimental combination of inks, papers, and printing plates highlights the artist’s commitment to exploring primitive aesthetics while actively engaging in innovative French printmaking techniques. The complex, hand-assembled nature of Soyez amoureuses, vous serez heureuses elevates the traditional woodcut process to a singular, sculptural piece of art. This unique impression from 1899 is held within the renowned collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a critical document of Gauguin’s final years. As many of Gauguin’s powerful prints from this era have entered the public domain, the technical mastery of the Post-Impressionist master remains widely accessible for study.