Before and After Gauguin:
The Art of Printmaking in Brittany, 1740 - 1940

This exhibition, on view February 3 - May 11, 2008, at Oglethorpe University Museum of Art, brings together over 100 prints by artists working in Brittany, in northwestern France, between 1740 and 1940. This exceptional exhibition of rare works come from private collections in Brittany and represent this region's rich printmaking tradition that spans more than two centuries. In the late nineteenth century, the renowned French artist Paul Gauguin was drawn to the creative innovations of the artists’ colonies of Pont-Aven and Le Pouldu in Brittany, and despite the very short time he spent there, he made a profound impact on the art of printmaking while in Brittany. This exhibition is in honor of Gauguin’s vast and deep influence in printmaking and focuses on the evolution of the medium before and after this great artist.