“Fauvism was our ordeal by fire. . . It was the era of photography. This may have
influenced us and played a part in our reaction against anything resembling a snapshot
of life. No matter how far we moved away from things, it was never far enough. Colors
became charges of dynamite.” André Derain, 1967 [1]
André Derain
Landscape near Cassis (Paysage aux environs de Cassis), 1907
Oil on canvas
33 x 41 cm
Hermann und Margrit Rupf-Stiftung, Kunstmuseum Bern
© André Derain, VEGAP, Bilbao, 2016.
André Derain (Chatou, 1880–Garches, 1954) was a young engineering student when he
began to attend painting classes with Eugène Carrière in 1898. In Carrière’s studio, he
met the painters Henri Matisse (Le Cateau, 1869–Nice, 1954) and Maurice de Vlaminck
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(Paris, 1876–Rueil-la-Gadelière, 1958), who became good friends and travelling
companions.
During the summer of 1905, Derain travelled with Matisse to Collioure (southern
France), where the artist began to paint, generating striking contrasts with saturated
colors and illuminating his landscapes with bright light. That same year, his works were
exhibited in Paris’s Autumn Salon. In his criticism of this show, Louis Vauxcelles used
the word fauves (wild beasts) to descriptively refer to the group of artists that included
Derain, Matisse and Vlaminck. After that, the style of these artists was known as
Fauvism [2].
Derain spent the following summers in southern France. The French Riviera attracted
the Fauvist painters because of its bright light, which helped them capture the brilliance
of the colors [3]. During this period, the blue of the Mediterranean Sea and sky began to
be a regular feature in Derain’s paintings [4]. He applied the paint directly from the
tube, which conferred enormous physical density, and he painstakingly chose the colors
bearing in mind the intensity of the light and color of the place he was depicting [5].
The artist painted this landscape, where the soft, rolling hills of the landscape were
hinted at with thick lines delimiting large, flat colored surfaces, in the summer of 1907 in
Cassis. This work is halfway between Fauvism and Cubism. Even though the stark color
contrasts and thick black outlines still fall within Fauvism, one of whose top exponents
had been Derain himself, now his color palette, which was limited to nuanced earth
tones, along with the dense web of stylized natural elements on a smooth surface, show
a Cubist feel [6].
That same year, the collector Hermann Rupf (1880–1962) visited Derain’s studio in the
company of Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler (1884–1979), an art dealer and close friend of
Rupf. On this visit, Rupf purchased the work Landscape near Cassis, marking the start of
his collection. Fascinated by Derain’s oeuvre, Rupf later decided to purchase 10 more of
the artist’s works.
QUESTIONS FOR STUDENTS
Look at the work. Take some time to analyze and describe all of its details. Where do
you imagine this landscape is located? What time of day do you think it is? What does it
make you think?
Imagine that you could enter the painting. How would you feel? What sounds, smells
and senses would you perceive? Would you like to be there? Why? Where do you
imagine Derain was when he painted this canvas?
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Now pay attention to the colors. How would you describe them? What mood do they
convey? How do you think this painting is different from other landscape paintings you
have seen before? Make a list of all the elements you see in this painting (such as: trees,
hills, the sky, the sea, etc.). What elements draw your attention? Why? How are they
related to each other?
Until the late 19th century, artists primarily painted in their studios following the rules of
the art academies. To paint this work in 1907, Derain worked outdoors, painting directly
from nature. What are the advantages and disadvantages of both ways of working?
Which would you prefer as an artist: to paint in your studio or to paint directly in
nature? Why?
Go on the Internet and look for current pictures of Cassis; compare them with the 1907
work Landscape near Cassis. How are they different? Are there any aspects that seem
similar to you? If Derain painted Cassis today, how do you think he would do it? What
elements would he highlight? How would the picture change? What do you think he
would add to or subtract from the picture?
ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS
Summer landscape
Derain spent several summers in the French Riviera with his friends. He painted some of
his works from southern France on site, while he painted others once he was back in his
studio in Paris. Think about a special place to paint, such as a park or a garden. Go there
and take paper and colored paint. First choose a small section of the place and look at it
for some time. Make a sketch (around 30 minutes) and note down the place so that you
can come back later. Try to notice what the colors in the place you visited are like, what
the climate is like, the smells, the atmosphere… Once you are satisfied with the image,
you can transfer it to canvas and paint it with tempera or acrylic. Try to get your work to
capture the sensations you felt when you were there via your color choices. The work
does not necessarily need to be realistic; instead, it should convey the feeling you had
while you were there.
Write a poem
As a group, generate a list of words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.) associated with this
painting. Choose several words from this list and compose a poem about Derain’s
painting. What title would you give your poem? Would you dedicate it to anyone
special?
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Postcards from Cassis
Print Derain’s work and imagine that it is a postcard of a place you have visited with
your school. Choose the person you are sending the postcard to and write a few lines
about your trip. Include a description of the place, the activities you did there and a
description of your mood during the trip. Don’t forget to talk about the things you ate,
drank and discovered there.
VOCABULARY
Cubism: An artistic movement that emerged in 1907, when the artists Georges Braque
and Pablo Picasso developed a visual language together which broke with classical
representation and perspective through geometric planes that decompose and
fragment the shapes of the objects. In Analytical Cubism (1909–1912), the artists
focused on composition and the fragmentation of shapes; the use of dull colors like
grays and ochers predominated. In Synthetic Cubism (1912–1914), they began to
introduce objects into their paintings to create ties with reality—such as pieces of
newspapers, paper, fabric and metal, as well as other materials—which became part of
the composition, giving rise to “collage”.
Fauvism: A painting style from the early 20th century characterized by an unrealistic use
of colors which are not necessarily associated with the object. The Fauvists tended
towards thick brushstrokes and saturated colors which sparked bright contrasts.
Autumn Salon, Paris: An art exhibition which has been held in Paris every year since
1903, where Fauvism was introduced in 1905.
NOTES
1. Duthuit, George, The Fauvist Painters, New York, Wittenborn, Schultz, 1950, p.
29.
2. https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/artist/andre-derain
3. http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/lot.38.html/2015/impressio
nist-modern-art-evening-sale-n09340
4. http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/lot.38.html/2015/impressio
nist-modern-art-evening-sale-n09340
5. http://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/andre-derain-bridge-over-theriou-1906
6. The Collection of Hermann and Margrit Rupf, exhibition catalogue, Bilbao,
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, 2016, p. 48.
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RESOURCES
Collection of the Rupf Foundation
http://www.rupf-stiftung.ch/?m=1&lang=e
http://www.rupf-stiftung.ch/?m=4&m2=1&lang=e&show=1&dirid=50
Fine Arts Museum of Bern
http://www.kunstmuseumbern.ch/en/service/about-us/foundations/hermann-andmargrit-rupf-foundation-103.html
Biography of Andre Derain
https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/artist/andre-derain
Fauvism. Museum of Modern Art of New York.
http://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/themes/fauvism
Museum of Modern Art of New York. Analysis of the work Bridge over the Riou
http://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/andre-derain-bridge-over-the-riou-1906
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