Wayside Shrine in Brittany, from the Suite of Late Wood-Block Prints

Wayside Shrine in Brittany, from the Suite of Late Wood-Block Prints is a powerful graphic work created by Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903 between 1898 and 1899. This distinctive print showcases Gauguin’s continued experimentation with the wood-block medium late in his career. Executed in black ink on thin ivory Japanese paper, which is meticulously tipped onto a slightly larger sheet of thin white Japanese paper, the piece highlights the artist's dedication to unique textural and compositional effects. The process of the wood-block print allowed Gauguin to employ bold, simplified lines and contrasting dark, evocative areas, techniques strongly associated with the Symbolist aesthetic prevalent in French art at the close of the nineteenth century.

Though created while Gauguin was residing in the South Pacific, the subject matter, Wayside Shrine in Brittany, refers back to the region in northwestern France where he had spent significant time in the late 1880s. Brittany often served as a symbolic touchstone for Gauguin, representing a place untouched by encroaching modernity, where traditional Catholic spirituality, folklore, and rural life persisted. This specific impression is part of the important collection of prints held by the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC). As a crucial example of the graphic output from this era, the work demonstrates Gauguin’s enduring interest in translating spiritual and emotional states into striking visual forms. Given its historical significance and the period of its creation, high-quality images of this wood-block print are often accessible to scholars and the public through public domain initiatives, ensuring wide access to Gauguin's critical contributions to modern prints.