Tahitians, Flowers, and Leaves, headpiece for Le sourire 1899 - 1900

This woodcut print, “Tahitians, Flowers, and Leaves, headpiece for Le sourire,” was created by Paul Gauguin in 1899-1900. The artwork, housed at the Art Institute of Chicago, depicts two Tahitian figures standing among stylized flowers and foliage. Gauguin's distinct use of bold black lines and simplified forms is characteristic of his style, known as Synthetism. The print, a headpiece for a publication called “Le sourire,” is a testament to Gauguin's fascination with the culture and landscape of Tahiti.