Fauvism

In the early 1900s, a group of French painters shocked the art world. They used colors that were wild and bright. They might paint a face green or make a tree bright orange. People at an art show in 1905 were so surprised that a critic called these artists les fauves, which means the wild beasts in French. The name stuck, and the movement became known as Fauvism.

Wild Colors

Fauvist painters did not try to show things in their real colors. Henri Matisse, the leader of the group, once painted a stripe of bright green down a woman's face. Andre Derain painted the River Thames in London with red, blue, and orange. The Fauvists believed color should express feelings, not just copy nature. Their paintings were joyful and full of energy.

Henri Matisse

Henri Matisse was the most famous Fauvist. He used flat areas of bold color with simple shapes. His painting The Joy of Life shows people dancing and relaxing in a colorful landscape. Later in life, when Matisse was too sick to paint, he cut shapes from brightly colored paper. These cutouts became some of his most loved works. Fauvism only lasted a few years, but it changed how artists thought about color.

Fun Facts

• The name Fauvism means wild beasts, but the artists did not mind the funny name at all.
• Henri Matisse first started painting while recovering from an illness. His mother gave him art supplies to pass the time.
• Fauvism only lasted from about 1905 to 1908, but it changed the art world forever.

Did You Know?

When Henri Matisse showed a painting of his wife with a green stripe down her face, people thought he was being mean, but he was just experimenting with color!