Le sourire: Journal sérieux, Nov. 1899 1899

This is Paul Gauguin's "Le Sourire: Journal sérieux," a printed journal from November 1899. It's essentially a handmade magazine, produced using a combination of woodcut and letterpress printing. Gauguin was living in Tahiti at this time, and used this journal as a vehicle to express his opinions on art, politics, and society. The roughly hewn woodcut gives the journal a raw, almost primitive aesthetic. The text, likely set in lead type and printed on a basic press, mirrors the visual qualities. "Le Sourire" feels immediate and direct, lacking the polish of mainstream publications. The publication was not just a creative endeavor, but a socio-political act. Gauguin used this relatively inexpensive medium to challenge the established art world and critique colonial power structures. The very act of creating and distributing this journal in Tahiti speaks to Gauguin's complex relationship with the art world, labor, and the global economy. The artist was clearly invested in the tactile nature of production, connecting him to the wider world through material, making, and social context.