5x Fauvism - The shortest artistic era of painting

At the beginning of the 20th century, a new art movement emerged: Fauvism. Here we show you who shaped this style, how it came about and why the "Fauves" movement only lasted about three years.

What is Fauvism?

Fauvism is a style of classical modernism in thepainting, which is characterized by intense colours and an approach with coarse strokes and highly simplified representation. The predecessor of Fauvism was Impressionism. The French artists Henri Matisse and André Derain shaped this new approach to painting.

The following features characterize this style:

1. Thick, wild brushstrokes
2. Paint technology
3. Simple shapes
4. Motives

Thick brushstrokes

The goal was not to paint the most realistic picture possible. Thick, wild brushstrokes predominate.

Paint technology

The use of colour was very different from other styles. This was the center of artistic creation. Although oil paint was also used, it was often applied directly from the paint tube to the canvas. Colour mixtures were achieved with brushstrokes of different pure colours. There was hardly any mixing of colours before the actual thingpainting process. Pure, bright colours predominated. Very few painters also used muted tones.

Simple shapes

Reality was no longer in the foreground in Fauvism, in complete contrast to Impressionism. The landscapes lived mainly from the colours and not from a realistic illustration.

Motives

The topics were numerous. From nude paintings, portraits to objects, everything was represented. Nevertheless, the emphasis on natural scenes is striking. The landscapes of southern France especially inspired the painters. Especially thebrightness of the landscapes there has done it with Derain or Matisse.

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Naming of Fauvism

The name Fauvism has its origins in the French word "fauves" - beasts. This expression arose in connection with the style in 1905 at an exhibition in Paris. There a group of artists exhibited their paintings. A bust of the artist Albert Marque stood among the paintings.

The art critic Louis Vauxcelles, who visited the exhibition, said the beautiful bust stood among Fauves - wild beasts. This was included in a newspaper article, creating the Fauves. Artists of that time did not see themselves as a conspiratorial group developing a new art style. They resistopposed being called Fauves and wanted to be seen as individuals.

History of Fauvism

The history of the Fauves is as intense as it is short. Here you will find a brief history from beginning to end.

1904 - The forerunners

The painters of the Fauve movement were between 20 and 30 years old at the time of the emergence of Fauvism and were born in a very turbulent time. Germany's defeat was still fresh, Paris was shocked. All painters of this time grew up in poor circumstances, which, in combination with the many politicalarguing, probably had a significant influence on their creative work. The movement around Henri Matisse began in 1904. He spent the summer with Paul Signac, who initiated him into Neo-Impressionism. Matisse was particularly enthusiastic about the use of colour, which he passed on to his friend André Derain. From that moment on, the whole thing took on a life of its own.

1905 - The Birth of Fauvism

For the first time, all Fauvist artists of that time exhibited together at the Autumn Salon of 1905. This was also the starting signal for many other joint exhibitions. Although the painters were criticized and usually met with disgust, some art dealers and collectors became aware of this new style. They recognized the potential.

1906 - The Fauves at their peak

Other artists, such as Raoul Dufy, Othon Friesz and Georges Braque, were inspired by the new style and contributed works to it. For example, exhibitions were held as early as 1906 together with the old guard of the Fauves. Itthe highlight was the Autumn Salon in Paris.

1907 - The end of the Fauves

The Fauvist artists were already developing in different directions in 1906. Matisse concentrated on the two-dimensional use of colour and contours. Braque, for his part, was a pioneer of Cubism, which emerged from Fauvism. As a result, the Fauve group split into different camps as early as 1907, with Cubism in particular gaining great popularity. Although the Fauves focused on new styles, the art movement continued to inspire new generations of artists in the decades that followed.

Differencefauvism and expressionism

Expressionism is the name of the art movement earlier in the German-speaking countries (Brücke), Fauvism is a similar style in France.

Important figures in Fauvism

Gustave Moreau

Gustave Moreau was a painter and a passionate teacher. He taught at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. What set Moreau apart was his passion for transferring knowledge. He took a lot of time with his students, listening and discussing with them. Moreau always encouraged everyone to develop their own individuality and style. He mainly attracted students who were lateral thinkers and were looking for something more than the conventional. Gustave Moreau's influence and motivation were praised time and time again by the Fauves and therefore, in retrospect, cannot be valued highly enough.

Henri Matisse

No painter is as often associated with Fauvism as Henri Matisse. He was also a student of Moreau and later found a supporter and ally in Pissaro. Around 1900 he started to paint more and more, more simply and with more colours. He was very controversial in the art world. Art critics in particular saw his art as a nuisance.

André Derain

André Derain is often mentioned in the same breath as Matisse. He met Matisse in 1900 and they became friends. An artistic summer they spent together in 1905 was key to the development of the Fauvist style. Derain cultivated two different onesstyles: the direct style with colour in the foreground and a dynamic style with more shape. André Derain also played an important role in Cubism.

Fauvism Artists

The following artists have had an important influence on the style of Fauvism:

1. Henri Matisse
2. André Derain
3. Othon Friesz
4. Albert Marquet
5. Louis Valtat
6. Henri Manguin
7. Charles Camoin
8. Jean Puy
9. Maurice de Vlaminck
10. Kees van Dongen

They were all called Fauves, to which they always objected.

Influences and what happened next

After the departure of most Fauves to Cubism, the art movement of Fauvism had not yet ended. Famous artists such as Malevitch or Kandinsky were inspired by it, especially in Hungary, Spain and Belgium. These artists were also pioneers of abstract painting at the time.