ANDRÉ DERAIN

 

Post 174 -by Gautam Shah

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SUNDAY Feature on ART of Architecture

André Derain (1880-1954) was a French artist, painter, sculptor, and co-founder of Fauvism with Henri Matisse and Maurice de Vlaminck. Derain had first lessons in painting in 1895, from an old friend of his father and Cézanne.

Derain is known for his innovative paintings of landscapes and city-scapes. Here he with bold black thick outlines, strong brushstrokes, and unrealistic mix of colours, transformed the depiction. And in spite of it, the nature remained important. Derain took liberties of creativity and self-expression.

Art critic Louis Vauxcelles, dubbed such art of grotesque colours as ‘les Fauves’ (the wild beasts), marking the start of the Fauvist movement.

Fauvism was a short-lived movement, lasting only five years until 1910. At Montmartre, Derain began to shift from Fauvist palette to more muted tones, showing the influence of Cubism and Paul Cézanne. He also helped shape Cubism with Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. By 1920s he was more into Neoclassical style. Derain later work features new subjects, including portraiture and still life.

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