Today, we’re going to discover what this funky Fauvism stuff is!
We’ll learn important things about the world of Fauvism like where did the name come from? Along with:
What is Fauvism?
What’s important and interesting about it?
Fauvism Characteristiscs?
Fauvism VS. Impressionism
Famous artists from this time and Era.
What is Fauvism?
Fauvism is a style of painting with vivid expressionistic and nonnaturalistic use of color that flourished in Paris during the early 20th century. spanning roughly 1905 to 1910 and, although short-lived, had a very important influence on subsequent artists, especially the German expressionists. Matisse was regarded as the movement's leading figure.
How did they come up with the name?
Did you know that the word Fauvism (Fauvisme) in French means"wild beast"
'Fauvism' is derived from the French word fauve meaning 'wild beast'. In 1905, an art critic of the exhibition called Le Salon d'automne used the term les Fauves to describe the artists and their style. The word was then used to refer to the group of artists, and 'fauvism' became the name of the artistic movement.
What are the Fauvist’s goals? Also interesting and inspiring about Fauvism?
Fauvism focused mainly on color. The Fauves painted a variety of subject matter and explored different brushwork techniques, But they were primarily concerned with the potential of color in expressing and drawing out emotions.
Viewers and critics alike were shocked by their use of bright, non-naturalistic colors in their landscapes and portraits. (That’s why they are called wild beasts!)
The artists of Fauvism were experimenting with the ways in which color could be liberated from the subject matter.
Breaking away from traditional impressionist methods and innovatively experimenting with exaggerated colors, composing their paintings based on wild color contrasts. The fauvists favored pairing complementary colors, like purple and yellow, magenta and green, or orange and blue.
Cool Characteristics of Fauvism.
Typical characteristics of Fauvism are:
Drawings are simple, with simplified shapes.
Bright colours are used that are often unnatural and unblended.
Most objects or areas are painted flat.
Warm and cold colours are used together.
Some areas are outlined by a dark colour.
Fauvism VS. Impressionism.
Both Impressionists and the Fauves painted directly from nature. But a key difference between the 2 styles are:
Impressionism was rooted in the desire to capture a brief moment in time and was, therefore, more concerned with realistic depictions of light and atmosphere.
While Fauvism, on the other hand, was focused on the emotional impact of colour, often sacrificing realistic representation for expressive intensity.
Famous Artists of the Fauvism period
Now let’s take a look at some of the most well-known artists in the Fauvism period!
Henri Matisse (1869–1954) was The founder of the Fauvism art movement along together with André Derain. Henri Matisse is one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century, whose stylistic innovations (along with those of Pablo Picasso) fundamentally altered the course of modern art and affected the art of several generations of younger painters, spanned almost six and a half decades.
André Derain (1880–1954) Most well known for his contribution to the avant-garde movements of Fauvism and Cubism, Derain's oeuvre draws upon a diverse range of sources including the work of Paul Cézanne, non-Western sculpture, decorative and applied arts, Romanesque and Renaissance imagery, and French landscape painting.
Under the influence of Paul Signac's painting, Derain applied pure colors straight from the tube onto a canvas with white ground in thick, square dabs of the brush that gave the picture surface the appearance of a mosaic.
Raoul Dufy (1877–1953) He gained recognition for his vibrant and decorative style, which became popular in various forms, such as textile designs, and public building decorations. Dufy is most remembered for his artwork depicting outdoor social gatherings.
Mini Exercise for you!
This week, I want you to explore more on your own and see what else you can discover about the Fauvism. See if you can learn more and explore some of your new favorite artists from this time and art movement.
Have fun learning and exploring!
What did you discover?
I’m curious to see what you discover about Post-Impressionism is. And do you think it has a large difference compared to Impressionism? If you also discovered something new about it, I would love to know! (You can comment and share your thoughts below!)
Thank you for reading my fun little discovery and I hope you also get to learn and share your discoveries too!
Share this with fellow friends, family, and artists who would benefit and love learning more about art! On social media, email, or text. Thanks for reading!
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