Fauvism
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Period: c. 1905 – 1908 CE Region: Primarily France (Paris)
Overview & Key Characteristics
Fauvism was the first major avant-garde art movement of the 20th century, exploding onto the Paris art scene around 1905 but lasting only a few intense years. The name derives from the French term les fauves ("the wild beasts"), used by critic Louis Vauxcelles in response to the shockingly bold and non-naturalistic use of color in paintings exhibited by artists like Henri Matisse and André Derain at the 1905 Salon d'Automne. Fauvism is defined by its radical liberation of color from its descriptive function, employing intense, vibrant, often arbitrary hues applied with strong, impulsive brushwork to convey emotional response and create structure, rather than depicting reality objectively. Forms were often simplified or distorted to enhance the expressive power of color.
Summary of Common Characteristics:
| Feature | Characteristic Description (Fauvism) |
|---|---|
| Light | Rendered through bold color choices rather than traditional shading or atmospheric perspective. Natural light effects often ignored in favor of pure color impact. |
| Surface/Texture | Bold, Direct, Energetic: Often features visible, vigorous brushstrokes. Paint might be applied thickly, sometimes straight from the tube, emphasizing spontaneity and the materiality of the paint. |
| Figures | Simplified, Flattened, Distorted: Form often simplified to its essence or distorted for expressive purposes. Anatomical accuracy sacrificed for emotional impact and bold color design. |
| Space/Depth | Often Flattened & Decorative: Rejects traditional perspective and illusionistic depth. Space constructed through relationships between intense color planes, creating a vibrant surface pattern. |
| Color Palette | INTENSE, ARBITRARY, NON-NATURALISTIC: This is the hallmark. Use of vivid, pure, unmixed colors applied subjectively. Colors chosen for emotional resonance and compositional structure, not to mimic reality (e.g., a red tree, a green sky). |
| Composition | Often Simplified & Boldly Structured: Compositions built with large areas of intense color and strong lines. Aims for immediate visual impact and expressive force, sometimes appearing spontaneous. |
| Details/Lines | Detail often minimized or eliminated in favor of broad color shapes. Outlines can be strong and simplified (like Cloisonnism) or lines may merge with the energetic brushwork. |
| Mood/Emotion | Exuberant, Joyful, Intense, Energetic, Spontaneous, Instinctive. Aims to express powerful feelings and sensory experiences directly through raw color and vigorous handling. Often conveys excitement and vitality. |
| Subject Matter | Traditional genres (Landscapes, Portraits, Still Lifes, Nudes) reinterpreted through the lens of radical color. Common subjects include sunny landscapes (esp. South of France), city views, portraits of friends, scenes of leisure. |
Fauvism represents a crucial step in modern art where color became an autonomous element, used primarily for expression and decoration rather than description.
Historical Context & Influences
Fauvism emerged during the Belle Époque in Paris, a period of cultural dynamism and relative optimism before World War I.
- Avant-Garde Spirit: Part of a broader challenge to established academic art institutions and conventions.
- Interest in "Primitive" Art: Growing exposure to and interest in the bold forms and expressive power of African, Oceanic, and other non-Western art influenced the Fauves' simplification and directness.
Influences: Fauvism drew heavily from Post-Impressionist pioneers:
- Vincent van Gogh: His intense emotionalism, expressive brushwork, and use of arbitrary color were profound influences.
- Paul Gauguin: His use of flat areas of symbolic color (Synthetism/Cloisonnism) and interest in 'primitive' expression were key inspirations.
- Georges Seurat & Neo-Impressionism: While rejecting Seurat's scientific method, the Fauves were interested in the effects of pure color juxtapositions seen in Pointillism (some, like Matisse, briefly experimented with it).
- Paul Cézanne: His emphasis on structure and building form with color also informed some Fauvist works.
- Gustave Moreau: Teacher of Matisse and Rouault, encouraged individuality and exploration of color (though his own style was Symbolist).
Key Artists & Their Contributions
- Henri Matisse (1869-1954): The central figure and leading theorist (though informal) of Fauvism. Used color intensely but also sought balance, harmony, and decorative unity (Woman with a Hat, The Joy of Life, The Open Window). His Fauvist period was crucial for his lifelong exploration of color and form.
- André Derain (1880-1954): Worked closely with Matisse in Collioure (1905), producing vibrant landscapes with patches of pure color. Also applied Fauvist principles to cityscapes (Charing Cross Bridge, London).
- Maurice de Vlaminck (1876-1958): Perhaps the most impulsive Fauve; known for applying thick paint, often straight from the tube, with raw energy and intense color to express powerful emotions (The River Seine at Chatou).
- Raoul Dufy (1877-1953): Developed a lighter, more calligraphic style within Fauvism, characterized by rapid drawing and bright washes of color (Street Decked with Flags).
- Georges Braque (1882-1963): Had a brief but intense Fauvist phase (c. 1906-1907) before developing Cubism with Picasso (Landscape at La Ciotat).
- Kees van Dongen (1877-1968): Dutch artist associated with the group; known for his bold, often sensuous portraits of Parisian society women.
Notable Works
- Matisse: Woman with a Hat, Luxe, Calme et Volupté, The Joy of Life (Le bonheur de vivre), Portrait of Madame Matisse (The Green Stripe), The Open Window, Collioure.
- Derain: Mountains at Collioure, The Pool of London, Portrait of Matisse, The Turning Road, L'Estaque.
- Vlaminck: The River Seine at Chatou, Houses at Chatou, The Red Trees.
- Braque: Landscape at La Ciotat, The Port of La Ciotat.
- Dufy: The Posters at Trouville, Street Decked with Flags.
- Van Dongen: Woman with Large Hat, Portrait of Fernande Olivier.
Legacy and Influence
Though Fauvism as a unified movement was short-lived (most artists moved in different directions by 1908), its impact was immense:
- It was the first major assertion of color's independence from description in 20th-century art, establishing color as a primary vehicle for emotional expression and pictorial structure.
- Its emphasis on subjective experience and artistic freedom profoundly influenced subsequent avant-garde movements, particularly German Expressionism.
- Key Fauvist artists like Matisse and Braque continued to be major figures in modern art, evolving their styles but retaining lessons learned during their Fauvist phase.
- The movement's boldness and liberation of color permanently expanded the possibilities available to painters.