The Rape of Europa, from the Suite of Late Wood-Block Prints

The Rape of Europa, from the Suite of Late Wood-Block Prints, created by Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903, represents a complex and experimental endeavor during the artist’s final productive years. Executed between 1898 and 1899, this work exemplifies Gauguin’s highly innovative approach to printmaking, contrasting sharply with traditional European graphic arts.

The medium itself is exceptionally intricate. This wood-block print utilizes a complex registration process, resulting in distinct impressions on both the recto and verso of the support. The main image, or recto, features black ink on a thin, translucent ivory Japanese paper, which was then laid face down onto a thicker ivory wove paper. Unusually, the verso bears an additional print in a warm yellow ocher ink applied directly to the wove paper, creating subtle tonal shifts visible through the thin layers.

The subject matter reinterprets the classical myth of Europa and the bull, integrating the narrative into the Symbolist context that dominated late nineteenth-century French culture. Gauguin frequently returned to mythology and non-Western subjects, using them to explore themes of transformation and primal spirituality during his time in the South Pacific. The technique—combining etching-like lines with large, flat planes of color—highlights the mastery Gauguin developed, solidifying his impact on modern prints.

As a significant example of French Post-Impressionist graphic art, this piece is preserved in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Gauguin’s daring printmaking methods remain a central focus for scholars studying his final decade, and details of this influential work are increasingly entering the public domain.