Fauvism
The Wild Beasts
Inspired by the Expressionist artists and their use
of color
Starry Night 1889 Vincent Van Gogh
Self-Portrait, 1889 Paul
Gaugin
Still life, pitcher and fruit, 1894 Paul Cezanne
➢ The first of the avant garde movements that flourished
in France in the early 20th century
➢ Spontaneous, subjective response to nature
➢ Bold brushstrokes and colors straight from the tube
➢ Began by Henri Matisse and André Derain in 1905
➢ After their work was exhibited at the Salon d’Automne
in Paris, the critic Louis Vauxcelles called their work
“fauves” meaning “wild beasts”
Henri Matisse
His work is characterized by vibrant
colors, fluid lines and his ability to
capture a mood.
The themes of his pieces were
traditional subject matter, yet he
approached them with experimental
processes.
Was a painter, sculptor, created collage
in later years (after surgery) and
designed all the elements for a church
in Nice, France as one of his final
works.
1869-1954
Woman with a Hat 1905
The Dessert: Harmony in Red 1908
Basket with Oranges 1913
Woman in a Purple Coat 1937
Portrait of Henri Matisse 1906
Andre Derain
Turning Road at L’Estaque 1906 Andre Derain
Still Life with Oranges 1907 Maurice deVlaminck
The Table (Still Life with Almonds) 1906-07 Maurice deVlaminck
1.
Complete at least 5 thumbnail sketches of one or both of the still life
arrangements in the room. You can make a viewfinder or use your phone
to take a picture to crop the image. Think about what makes a strong
composition. How will you use the space?
2.
Using pencil, lightly draw in the objects from the still life. Think about the
whole shapes rather than the details. Look at the negative shapes between
the objects as well. Work from observation. Your thumbnail sketch is a
guide for your composition.
3.
Use measuring techniques, check your drawing for accurate proportions.
4.
Using oil pastels, lay in color for your drawing. Remember that the Fauves
did not use the actual (also called “local”) colors of the objects. Use cool
colors in your shadows and warm colors to show the light source. (You
may want to limit yourself to one warm/one cool per object.) You can
make further variations of the colors by making tints (adding white) and
shades (adding black). Oil pastels blend well and make great marks and
textures, Embrace this in your drawing.