Paul Gauguin: The breakthrough into modernity

In 1889, during the Paris World’s Fair, Paul Gauguin and several friends exhibited their work on the festival site of the Café des Arts, owned by a certain monsieur Volpini. Among other works, Gauguin’s show included a series of prints he had made at the instigation of Theo van Gogh, and which was to become known as the Volpini suite.

These 11 zincographs on brilliant, canary-yellow paper were created at a crucial point in Gauguin’s oeuvre and offer an overview of the central themes in his work, from the exotic landscapes of Martinique to scenes of Pont-Aven and Arles. With the Volpini suite Gauguin effectively presented his calling card as an artist.

Crucial role The exhibition is the first to examine in depth this series of lithographs, which played such a crucial role in Gauguin’s development into a modern artist. It brings together masterpieces from various international collections that illustrate the different themes in Gauguin’s oeuvre.

Organized in collaboration with The Cleveland Museum of Art (4 October 2009 to 18 January 2010).

Catalogue Paul Gauguin: The Breakthrough into Modernity, Heather Lemonedes, Belinda Thomson et al., Van Gogh Museum/The Cleveland Museum of Art/Hatje Cantz Verlag, 248 pages, 200 illustrations.

Paul Gauguin
The breakthrough into modernity