The Yellow Christ (recto), Female Bather Wading through a Brook

The Yellow Christ (recto), Female Bather Wading through a Brook by Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903, is a compelling composite work showcasing the artist's unique engagement with early photographic processes and preparatory studies. Classified as a Painting in the museum records, the physical object is a complex, double-sided print creation spanning the period 1884 to 1903. The primary image on the recto features a salted paper print, which is now extremely faded but was originally toned with watercolor, affixed to cream wove silver printing-out paper, and laid down on card.

This layered technique reflects the experimental nature of artistic prints in late 19th-century France. The recto’s image relates directly to or is a study for Gauguin’s iconic Symbolist masterpiece, suggesting the artist’s continued reliance on preliminary sketches and photographic copies of his own celebrated works. On the verso, an albumen print depicting a nude female bather wading through a brook offers a contrasting subject. This theme leans heavily into the tropical and primitive motifs Gauguin frequently explored during and after his initial separation from the Parisian artistic establishment.

Gauguin often utilized photographic sources, manipulating existing imagery or creating studies that served as visual notes for later paintings. The extreme fading evident in the salted paper print underscores the inherent fragility of these early experimental works, which bridged the gap between painting, drawing, and photography. Held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, this unique piece provides valuable insight into Gauguin’s interdisciplinary approach where painted and photographic elements intertwined. As significant historical imagery from this period, related studies often enter the public domain, facilitating broader scholarship into Gauguin’s pioneering techniques.