We explain what Fauvism is and how this artistic movement originated. Also, what are its characteristics, influences and more.
Fauvism emerged in France at the beginning of the 20th century.
What is Fauvism?
Fauvism or phovism is known as a pictorial movement that emerged in France at the beginning of the 20th century and later spread to other countries, characterized by a provocative use of colors and fast, furious or, as they were baptized and from there the name of the movement would emerge, “ferocious” brush strokes.
It was about an avant-garde movementwhich sought to go beyond what was achieved by traditional methods of expression in painting, which is why it often used techniques from neighboring plastic movements.
Among its main exponents Henri Matisse, André Derain and Maurice de Vlaminck are usually mentioned, who would have “invented” it. The movement would disappear once these painters separated their paths and tendencies, but it would have a marked influence on the avant-garde and expressionism.
See also: Pointillism.
Origin of the name Fauvism
Louis Vaxcelles was the one who baptized Fauvism by calling the works “les fauves.”
The name of this movement is supposed to be would have emerged in 1905, within the framework of the exhibition of some works by the main Fauvist authors in room VII of the Salon d’Automne, where they would have generated an intense contrast with the others, which motivated the critic Louis Vaxcelles to refer to them as les fauves, that is, “the wild beasts.” With this he alluded to the “orgy of pure tones” that he had found in the paintings. The group of artists in question would have then taken over the term and thus the movement was born.
Historical context of fauvism
Fauvism emerged in the Paris of the avant-garde, in a true artistic and scientific explosionwhich among many other things involved the reform and replanning of the city by Georges-Eugène, the introduction of electricity and the automobile, the great Universal Exhibitions in which the ingenuity of human beings was celebrated, and prestigious exhibitions of plastic arts opposed to positivism. , naturalism and impressionism, as was also the case of German expressionism.
Fierceness and simplicity
The Fauvist authors had in common the rapid and thick stroke.
The Fauvist authors did not have a manifesto, nor a common schematic project, but they were united by the quick and thick, “fierce” stroke, and the predilection for relatively simple formsnot too elaborate, that did not compete with the importance and vitality they gave to the bright and pure colors, “just as they come out of the tube” according to de Vlaminck.
Color autonomy
Each of the Fauves painted according to their subjectivity freed from morality, expressive methods or teaching methods (they valued self-taughtness, immediacy and intuition), in an attempt to restore to painting a certain purity of methodwhich was identified with the color of pure and intense tones.
In that sense, They did not mind incurring in a certain distortion of realityas long as one remained faithful to the expressive principles of painting.
Influences of fauvism
Many of the Fauvist artists came from the studios of Gustave Moreau.
Many of the Fauvist artists came from the studies of the masters Charles LhuillierEugene Carriere and Gustave Moreau, which represented an initial step in his pictorial training.
The work of Paul Cezanne was extremely influential on the Fauves.to the point that the end of the movement is attributed to the revaluation of the art of this French painter from 1907 onwards.
Other references necessary for the formation of the movement were Paul Gauguin, Redon, Moreau. And, also, various forms of art from Africa and Oceania, a product of colonial acquisitions from Europe at the time.
Importance of fauvism
The influence of Fauvism on the avant-garde was broad and can be observed in various artistic forms of the time. His style was reproduced by artists from Belgium, Spain, Hungary and other nationswho adapted the Fauvist postulates to their traditions.
Some artistic groups influenced by Fauvism were: The Blue Reiter (Germany)Montparnasse Group (Chile), Die Brücke (Germany) and Jack of Diamonds (Russia).
Main authors of Fauvism
The main authors of Fauvism were Henri Matisse, André Derain and Maurice de Vlaminckwho are named as its creators. But other French Fauvist artists were Albert Marquet, George Braque, Raoul Duffy and Charles Camoin.
Most recognized works of Fauvism
Maurice de Vlaminck – The Red Trees (1906)
Some well-known works by Fauvist painters are as follows:
- Matisse. Vase of Sunflowers (1989), Woman Reading (1894), Collioure Landscapes (1905), Music (1910), The Gypsy (1905) or The Green Stripe (1905).
- Derain. The Drying of the Candles (1905), Charing Cross Bridge (1906), Boats on the Beach at Colibre (1905), The London Pool (1906) and The Lighthouse at Collioure (1905).
- Vlaminck. The Circus (1906), The Tugboat on the Seine, Chatou (1906), Blue Vase with Flowers (1906), Valmondois Landscape () or The Red Trees (1906).
Fauvism in other arts
Some visual artists (not painters) subscribed to Fauvism, such as André Metthey, Ambroise Vollard, Rouault and some others; from them arose the idea that Derain, Matisse and Vlaminck should venture into ceramics, pyrography, drawing or watercolorand from there emerged works of interesting artistic mixture.
Also Matisse wrote the “Jazz Book”where he wrote and drew, and accompanied with engravings and lithographs works by the poet Mallarmé and editions of The Loves of Ronsard.
End of fauvism
Fauvism had a short lifelike most avant-garde movements, and most French Fauvist paintings date from the first decade of the 1900s.
Once the so-called “essential triangle” of Matisse, Derain and Vlaminck separatedthe original movement soon faded away.