Soyez amoureuses, vous serez heureuses 1898

Paul Gauguin created the monotype "Soyez amoureuses, vous serez heureuses" which translates to "Be in love, you will be happy," using a process that yields a single print of uniquely textured monochrome imagery. The composition is divided horizontally, yet the figures are ambiguously arranged, creating a dreamlike space. Gauguin’s process here is crucial; by pressing ink onto a surface and then transferring it to paper, he achieved an effect of spontaneity and rawness. The figures, rendered with stark lines, show Gauguin's interest in non-Western art forms, moving away from the traditions of Western academic painting. This embrace of the primitive aimed to challenge and disrupt established artistic and social norms. The figures appear to be in various emotional states, which could signify the complexities and contradictions of love and happiness. Through this monotype, Gauguin destabilizes the fixed, singular meaning of these concepts. It encourages viewers to question and reimagine them.