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! EARLY ABSTRACTION: FAUVISM,
EXPRESSIONISM, AND CUBISM
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A beginner's guide to Fauvism
Fauvism and Matisse
A beginner's guide to
Fauvism
Matisse, Luxe, calme et
Distinctive brushwork
volupté
Fauvism developed in France to become the first
Matisse, Bonheur de Vivre
new artistic style of the 20th century. In contrast to
the dark, vaguely disturbing nature of much fin-de-
Matisse, Dance I
siècle, or turn-of-the-century, Symbolist art, the
Fauves produced bright cheery landscapes and
Matisse, The Red Studio
figure paintings, characterized by pure vivid color
and bold distinctive brushwork.
Matisse, The Red Studio
Matisse, Goldfish
Matisse, "The Blue Window"
Henri Matisse, The Green Line, 1905, oil on
canvas, 40.5 x 32.5 cm (Statens Museum for
Kunst, Copenhagen)
"Wild beasts"
Matisse, Piano Lesson
When shown at the 1905 Salon d’Automne (an
exhibition organized by artists in response to the
conservative policies of the official exhibitions, or
salons) in Paris, the contrast to traditional art was so
striking it led critic Louis Vauxcelles to describe the
artists as “Les Fauves” or “wild beasts,” and thus the
name was born.
One of several Expressionist movements to emerge
in the early 20th century, Fauvism was short lived,
and by 1910, artists in the group had diverged toward
more individual interests. Nevertheless, Fauvism
remains signficant for it demonstrated modern art’s
remains signficant for it demonstrated modern art’s
ability to evoke intensely emotional reactions
through radical visual form.
Henri Matisse, Woman with a Hat, 1905, oil on
canvas, 79.4 x 59.7 cm (San Francisco Museum
of Modern Art)
The expressive potential of color
The best known Fauve artists include Henri Matisse, André Derain, and Maurice Vlaminck
who pioneered its distinctive style. Their early works reveal the influence of PostImpressionist artists, especially Neo-Impressionists like Paul Signac, whose interest in
color’s optical effects had led to a divisionist method of juxtaposing pure hues on canvas.
The Fauves, however, lacked such scientific intent. They emphasized the expressive
potential of color, employing it arbitrarily, not based on an object’s natural appearance.
Henri Matisse, Luxe, calme et volupté, 1904, oil on canvas, 98.5 x 118.5 cm
(Museé d'Orsay, Paris)
In Luxe, calm et volupté (1904), for example, Matisse employed a pointillist style by applying
paint in small dabs and dashes. Instead of the subtle blending of complimentary colors
typical of Neo-Impressionism Seurat, for example, the combination of firey oranges,
yellows, greens and purple is almost overpowering in its vibrant impact.
Similarly, while paintings such as Vlaminck’s The River Seine at Chantou (1906) appear to
Similarly, while paintings such as Vlaminck’s The River Seine at Chantou (1906) appear to
mimic the spontaneous, active brushwork of Impressionism, the Fauves adopted a painterly
approach to enhance their work’s emotional power, not to capture fleeting effects of color,
light or atmosphere on their subjects. Their preference for landscapes, carefree figures and
lighthearted subject matter reflects their desire to create an art that would appeal primarily
to the viewers’ senses.
Maurice de Vlaminck, The River Seine at Chatou, 1906, oil on canvas, 82.6
x 101.9 cm (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York)
Paintings such as Matisse’s Bonheur de Vivre (1905-06) epitomize this goal. Bright colors
and undulating lines pull our eye gently through the ideallic scene, encouraging us to
imagine feeling the warmth of the sun, the cool of the grass, the soft touch of a caress, and
the passion of a kiss.
Like many modern artists, the Fauves also found inspiration in objects from Africa and other
non-western cultures. Seen through a colonialist lens, the formal distinctions of African art
reflected current notions of Primitivism–the belief that, lacking the corrupting influence of
European civilization, non-western peoples were more in tune with the primal elements of
nature.
Henri Matisse, Bonheur de Vivre (Joy of Life), 1905-6, oil on canvas, 176.5
x 240.7 cm (Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia)
Blue Nude (Souvenir of Biskra) of 1907 shows how Matisse combined his traditional subject
of the female nude with the influence of primitive sources. The woman’s face appears
mask-like in the use of strong outlines and harsh contrasts of light and dark, and the hard
lines of her body recall the angled planar surfaces common to African sculpture. This
distorted effect, further heightened by her contorted pose, clearly distinguishes the figure
from the idealized odalisques of Ingres and painters of the past.
Henri Matisse, The Blue Nude (Souvenir de Biskra), 1907, oil on canvas,
92.1 x 140.3 cm (Baltimore Museum of Art)
The Fauves interest in Primitivism reinforced their reputation as “wild beasts” who sought
new possibilities for art through their exploration of direct expression, impactful visual forms
and instinctual appeal.
Essay by Dr. Virginia B. Spivey
Additional resources:
Fauvism at theartstory.org
Fauvism at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Timeline of Art History
African Influences in Modern Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Timeline of Art
History
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Why did fauvism not last as long ?
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The essay states, "Bright colors and undulating lines pull our eye gently
through the ideallic scene..." and by doing this we, as the viewers, are
inspired to imagine and experience what is dipicted in the painting. This
creates a more authentic reaction to art that is personalized.
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