Two Women Chattering, headpiece for Le Sourire

Two Women Chattering, headpiece for Le Sourire by Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903, is a striking example of the artist's late printmaking efforts. Executed in 1900, this small-format image was realized as a wood-block print using black ink applied to thin ivory laid Japanese paper. The print’s compact size and function designate its original purpose as a decorative element, specifically a headpiece for the Parisian satirical journal Le Sourire (The Smile). The composition focuses tightly on two women engaged in intimate conversation, their profiles defined by the bold, essential lines characteristic of Gauguin’s simplified approach to the woodcut.

Working in France at the turn of the century, Gauguin embraced primitivism and structural simplification, elements highly compatible with the medium of the wood-block print. Unlike traditional graphic methods that sought delicate precision, Gauguin adopted a direct, often intentionally rough carving technique. This method yields dense black areas that contrast sharply with the negative space of the paper, emphasizing the raw, graphic strength inherent in the forms. The resulting blockiness and deliberate lack of refinement underscore the emotional tension implicit in the interaction between the Two Women Chattering, reflecting the Post-Impressionist shift away from realistic depiction toward symbolic expression.

The work is an important contribution to the study of Gauguin’s graphic oeuvre, which is often considered as groundbreaking as his painting. This specific print is held in the extensive collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a significant example of early 20th-century French printmaking. The enduring visual power of this woodcut ensures its continued relevance, and reproductions of these key prints are often made available through public domain art initiatives, allowing broad access to the work of this iconic modern master.