Woman with a Cat

Woman with a Cat is a significant late-period work by Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903, created in 1900. This highly technical piece is classified as a print, utilizing an intricate transfer drawing process. The drawing employs brownish-black ink on the recto, further augmented by graphite and blue crayon pencil, and finished with brush and solvent washes in ocher on cream wove paper. This complex combination of media allowed Gauguin to explore textures and tonal variations that differed substantially from his better-known oil paintings, pushing the boundaries of graphic arts documentation.

Created toward the end of the Post-Impressionist movement, the work reflects Gauguin’s enduring interest in simplified forms and intimate, often private, depictions of women. Even when rendered in the nuanced medium of a print, his characteristic commitment to expressive line and synthesized color-fields (suggested here by the washes of ocher) remains palpable. The subject focuses on a quiet, reflective moment, contrasting the woman’s solemn stillness with the presence of her feline companion.

This drawing, originating in France, serves as a crucial document of the master’s technical experimentation during his final years. Gauguin’s exploration of the transfer drawing process demonstrates his commitment to expanding the possibilities of prints. The work is housed in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, a major repository of influential prints and drawings from the period. As a seminal work from a pivotal figure in French modern art, reproductions of this masterpiece are often made available through public domain initiatives, ensuring broad accessibility for researchers and admirers globally.