Paul Gauguin

During the fabled 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle, Paul Gauguin and several compatriots hastily compiled an exhibition at Café des Arts, owned by monsieur Volpini. Gauguin's modest exhibition included a series of prints commissioned by Theo van Gogh that was later to become known as the Volpini Suite.

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. The Volpini Suite effectively became Gauguin's artistic calling card.

Crucial role
This is the first exhibition in the Netherlands to examine this series of lithographs in depth, works that 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.

Paul Gauguin, The Breakthrough Into Modernity runs at Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum until 6 June 2010.