Georges Rouault

Georges Rouault was a highly regarded as a painter and printmaker, and he was an important figure in the emerging symbolism and primitivism movements. He focused on themes of suffering and redemption and frequently portrayed Christ—as in the prints seen here in the Passion series. While deeply religious, Rouault also represented ‘lower-class’ and ‘degenerate’ figures. He illustrated clowns, prostitutes, and beggars, while also satirizing the bourgeoisie and elites of his day. The series Père Ubu's Reincarnations reflects on French politics, satirizing the colonial power and policies of France in Africa that emerged in the aftermath of World War I.