Fragment of Long Inscription - Paul Gauguin

Gift of Mrs. Potter Palmer

"Fragment of Long Inscription" by Paul Gauguin (c. 1895) Graphite on cream wove paper, discolored to tan.

Commentary

"Fragment of Long Inscription" by Paul Gauguin (c. 1895) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together. Themes to notice include drawings (visual works). This piece is held in the source collection's Prints and Drawings collection. Paul Gauguin is the artist behind this work. A useful anchor for reading the piece: Paul Gauguin French, 1848-1903. The work is cataloged within a France cultural context. How to look at this work: It is cataloged as drawings (visual works), which gives a clue to how the museum frames the object. Its medium (Graphite on cream wove paper, discolored to tan) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances. Its listed dimensions (22.5 × 7.4 cm (8 7/8 × 2 15/16 in.)) suggest how intimate or monumental it may feel in person. Subject cues from the catalog include drawings (visual works). Compare this reading with the museum record at the source collection: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/113441

Sources: Art Institute of Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago / Public Records; Art Institute of Chicago Collection Data