Fauvism

"We were always intoxicated with colour, with words that speak of colour, and with the sun that makes colours live."

(André Derain)

Fauvism, the first art movement of the twentieth-century (active around 1899 to 1910), is a term applied to works of art characterised by high-contrast colours and strong brushwork, with a more raw and less natural form of expression. A group of artists referred to as Les Fauves (the wild beasts, referred to here as The Fauves) who shared similar style direction included Henri Matisse and André Derain.

In this collection, we can see some paintings created by artists who were part of or who were associated with The Fauves, and works of art created by contemporary artists who are inspired by the movement and continue the legacy of Les Fauves, as well as by those who share similar styles.

Text by Keisha KR

Fauvism Quotes

"Truth exists, only falsehood has to be invented." (Georges Braque)

"Art must not be intelligent; art is a jouisance, an enjoyment." (André Derain)

"We were always intoxicated with colour, with words that speak of colour, and with the sun that makes colours live." (André Derain)

"It is the eye of ignorance that assigns a fixed and unchangeable color to every object; beware of this stumbling block." (Paul Gauguin)

“From the moment I held the box of colors in my hands, I knew this was my life. I threw myself into it like a beast that plunges towards the thing it loves.” (Henri Matisse)

"I don't paint things. I only paint the difference between things." (Henri Matisse)