Introduction

The term Fauves (French for “beasts, savages”) refers to an avant-garde art movement, which is actually a group of painters, mostly French, who in the early part of the twentieth century gave birth to an experience that was short-lived in time, but of great importance in the evolution of art, because they proposed its innovation. This current is also called Fauvism.

In this pedagogical dossier, we will first introduce you to the origins of the movement, providing a brief historical and cultural context to its rise. Then, we will go into details about the specifics of the movement, based on colours, shapes, brushstrokes, perspective and more. Lastly, we will introduce you to 10 of the most famous Fauvist paintings and provide 2 practical examples of activities that can be implemented for an art workshop based on Fauvism.

To summarise, in this dossier, you will:

• Learn the origins of Fauvism,
• Discover some of its key figures and influencers,
• Explore the characteristics of the Fauves’ techniques,
• And more!

The theme

Background of the movement

The origins of the movement

The origin of the movement lies in the incorporation within the French Impressionist tradition at the end of the 19th century of thrusts endowed with romantic and Nordic accents, such as the propositions of Edvard Munch. The term “Fauvism” means “wild beasts’, and was coined by critic Louis Vauxcelles following the 1905 Salon d’Automne exhibition. The exhibition, held in Paris, provoked widespread outrage over several features that exited the norm: such vibrant and unnatural colours shocked the public and critics, and Fauvism soon earned a place as one of the first avant-garde art movements of the 20th century. In fact, it seems that Vauxcelles, upon entering the eighth hall of the Salon d’Automne in Paris (1905) where artists were exhibiting, upon seeing a traditional statue surrounded by paintings of very violent and bright colours, had exclaimed, “Here is Donatello among the beasts!”.

In the early years of the 20th century, post-Impressionist painters working in France such as Van Gogh, Gauguin, Seurat and Cézanne were at the time considered leaders of avant-garde art. Their collective experiments with the application of paint, subject matter, expressive line and pure colour were advances that fueled the emergence of Fauvism. Symbolism, with its emphasis on the artist’s inner vision, was another important influence. From another source, the European reassessment of African sculpture as art rather than anthropological curiosity introduced new ideas of form and representation to European modernists.

The actors of the movement

There are a number of painters who approached the movement. The figure most commonly associated with Fauvism is that of Matisse. Taking his cue from Gauguin, van Gogh, and Seurat, Matisse brought art closer to abstraction. This innovative modernist movement eliminated the stillness of subjects, instead infusing colour with movement and brushstrokes with energy.

The most famous Fauvist artworks are by Matisse. Many of his works have remained as iconic and instantly recognizable paintings. For example, Matisse combines mystical and euphoric subjects with a distinct flatness and heightened palette, and these works continue to influence the course of contemporary art.

Henri Matisse used vividly contrasting colours from the beginning, until he produced a work, where colour freed from its traditional descriptive role expresses its full potential: the Collioure in the summer of 1904.

In Matisse’s paintings one can see the violence of colours, the absence of shadows and light with barely hinted perspective.

Other protagonists of this new trend were : André Derain, Raoul Dufy, Kees Van Dongen, Maurice de Vlaminck, Henri Matisse, Albert Marquet.

Other painters appreciated the ideas of the movement and were close to it, although they remained outside it because of certain ideological distinctions : Alexis Mérodack-Jeanneau and Marquet, Othon Friesz, Georges Braque. Rouault and the young Pablo Picasso.

The development and decline of the movement

This group of artists, however, were never a true movement and cannot be considered a true artistic current. They had no set rules, no program, and no clear ideological purpose either.

By 1907 the group began to break up and the members of the group became estranged from each other: for many of them Fauvism had been a momentary phase, an experience through which to pass in order to develop different styles.

The experience of the Fauves came to an end in 1908, thus lasting only a few years, but it had a persistent influence on a large part of European, and particularly German, expressionism.

In fact, critics often regard Fauvism as a seminal and “transitional” moment in the development of modernist art. Certainly it can be said that the Fauvist movement paved the way for other highly influential styles of the 20th century. Derain, for example, developed a neoclassical style, while the artist Georges Braque, once a Fauvist, worked alongside Pablo Picasso to develop Cubism.

The movement thus officially lasted only a couple of years. The Fauves were only active until 1910. That year’s major retrospective on Cézanne was the cause of the new directions taken by some of them and the formidable growth of Cubism, which helped break the weak unity of the movement.

Historical and societal context of the movement

Fauvism, unlike the other expressionist movements, showed no interest in the social-political aspects of the world in which it lived, but only in the open rejection of natural forms and the use of customary colours. Indeed, they had little of the wild, but rather studied an alternative chromaticity dictated by a taste for violent colours.

They discussed and often criticised Impressionism, although they appreciated the novelty of light generated by the use of pure colours. The Fauves were less controversial and less critical of society than the Expressionists, but they had a greater interest in colour, used freely, in an emotional way. They were inspired by Van Gogh and Gauguin and were the first to take an interest in African art.

Characteristics of the movement

There are several characteristics that can help a viewer identify the traits of a Fauvist painting. Here are some of the most common ones:*

The typical features of Fauvism are unique in their ability to appear both timeless and innovative. Today, artists continue to use bold colours and bold brushstrokes to create vibrant works of art.

In their shared concern for expression through colour and form, the exponents of Fauves art were generally less interested in the novelty of their subjects. While the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists had depicted scenes of modern urban life, such as the boulevards, cafés, and concert halls of Paris, the Fauves took more traditional subjects as their starting points. Their works drew from the world around them and included portraits, landscapes, seascapes, and figures in interiors, but the visual impact of colour composition took precedence over any possible narrative or symbolism. Instead, they used their subjects as vehicles for acts of observation and painting, with their non-naturalistic brushwork and colour as means to lead the viewer on their inner and creative journeys.

The rejection of realism

What differentiated the painters of this current was not the choice of subjects and themes of their works, but overcoming the misunderstanding that still linked the conception of art to naturalistic imitation of reality.

Another of the central artistic concerns of Fauvism was the overall balance of composition. The Fauves’ simplified forms and saturated colours drew attention to the inherent flatness of canvas or paper; within that pictorial space, each element played a specific role.

The simplification of forms

The Fauves therefore decide on a simplification of form. More importance is given to emotions and to what a certain subject stirs up as feeling within the painter. They abandon realistic representation per se, for a representation of reality as it is felt by the painter.

Lack of perspective

What mattered to the Fauves was not the meaning of the work, chiaroscuro or perspective, but the simplification of forms, immediacy and colour.

In moving away from realism, the Fauves bring back some recurring characteristics. For example, in addition to the simplification of shapes and lines, in the paintings of the Fauves we see a use of colours that are bright or untrue with reality; in addition, perspective is also ignored. The sense of depth is produced by foreshortening views on a single plane and by colour contrast.

The primacy of colour

Primary colours were used in a decidedly anti-naturalistic function, purple trees and red human figures, freely and arbitrarily chosen and juxtaposed according to a coherence inherent solely in the harmony of the composition.

One of Fauvism’s greatest contributions to modern art was its radical goal of separating colour from its descriptive and representational purpose and allowing it to exist on the canvas as an independent element. Indeed, colour is meant to project a state of mind and establish a structure within the work of art without having to be faithful to the natural world.

Pedagogical approach

Why is this theme relevant to adult learners?

Members of Fauvism shared the use of intense colour as a vehicle for describing light and space, and that it redefined pure colour and form as a means of communicating the artist’s emotional state. In this regard, Fauvism proved to be an important precursor to Cubism and Expressionism, as well as a milestone for future modes of abstraction. As the precursor of many revolutionary movements and one that completely changed painting and art, it is important to analyse the origins and characteristics of the Fauves movement. Although it lasted only a few years, it had great consequences.

What are the learning outcomes of embedding this art theme with an educational activity?

With this activity, learners will be able to discover Fauvism through the painter’s tools and eyes. Indeed, the activities are set so that students can learn the power of light reflecting on objects and how it can influence artistic views.

How to do it: strategies, tools, and techniques.

Learners will take both active and inactive participation in their own learning. Indeed, using their cameras they will be able to develop their knowledge of lights, and discuss with the class, then learn from other experts in the fields of art history.

Artworks

Artwork #1 Alexej von Jawlensky, Schokko with Red Hat, 1909

• Its position-relation to the theme: The artist is Alexej von Jawlensky. Alexej von Jawlensky (1864-1941) was a Russian painter. The artwork is a portrait of a woman. The artist follows the same characteristics of the Fauvist movement. Jawlensky is distinguished by a highly personal use of colour, spread in broad, flat backgrounds in the wake of Matisse, whose work he became acquainted with during frequent stays in Paris.
• Short description: It is a portrait of a woman. She has a red hat, and red lipstick. She has big eyes. She stares at the viewer. Painter uses green colour for skin. The artist uses reds for accessories while the rest is green. Colours are vivid and shapes are simple. Jawlensky spreads the colour in broad, flat backgrounds, and the brushstrokes are irregular.
• Location and European dimension: The painting is exposed at the Columbus Museum of Art, in Columbus, Ohio, United States.
• Possible educational exploitation: The Fauves use colours to express emotions and feelings: it might be useful for students to dwell on the painting, and go and express what emotions it triggers in themselves.

Artwork #2 A Collioure in August, Henri Matisse, 1911

• Its position-relation to the theme: Collioure in August is a painting by Henri Matisse. Matisse is one of the most important artists of the Fauvist movement. He has an impact for his synthetic forms and vibrant colours.
• Short description: The painting represents a landscape, with a village that faces the sea. There are trees and a village of houses in the background. Yellow hue dominates in the picture. This reminds us of the heat of August. This light is also typical of the south coast of France, where there is Collioure. Matisse distributes the colour on the canvas in a rush. In this way, he does not totally cover the canvas.
• Location and European dimension: The artwork is now property of an Important American Collection, Christie’s.
• Possible educational exploitation: Analysis of this painting can help learners discover Matisse work, and explore how it evolved in time.

Artwork #3 The port of le Havre, Raoul Dufy, 1906

• Its position-relation to the theme: The port of le Havre is a painting from Raoul Dufy.

This painting represents the distance from realism typical of Fauvism, using different colours and focusing on sensations rather than reality.

• Short description: The painting represents a harbour. It is a scene of everyday life, with people on the pier. The dominant colours are pink and teal.

• Location and European dimension: The painting is now property of an important American Collection, Christie’s.

• Possible educational exploitation: It might be interesting for students to go and represent scenes of everyday life themselves.

Artwork #4 The Bather, Henri Manguin, 1906

• Its position-relation to the theme: This painting represents the Fauvist artistic movement. Its main characteristic is the use of contrasting colours and wild brushwork. The scene that Manguin shows is a genre scene. We can see it every day, nothing special is happening. Even though it is a genre scene in peaceful scenery, it is a dynamic, energetic painting.
• Short description: This artwork shows a woman sitting on a rock in the sea. Her feet are in the water. The artist uses different shades of blue and the colours are vivid.
• Location and European dimension: The artwork is now at the Musée de Grenoble, in France
• Possible educational exploitation: Use the image to discover how Fauvist painters represent genre scenes and how they use colours and technical specificities.

Artwork #5 Posters at Trouville, Albert Marquet, 1906

• Its position-relation to the theme: Marquet produced a lot of paintings, but he was shy by nature, and he was a ‘moderate Fauve’. He applied some of the Fauvism techniques, but not all of them.
• Short description: The painting shows the small city of Trouville. The mural publicity represents the changing time and modernity in the 20th century. He used the 3 primary colours, blue, red and yellow. They are not very detailed, but we recognize the characteristics of advertisement.
• Location and European dimension: The painting is located in the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., USA.
• Possible educational exploitation: Mural advertising represents the changing times and modernity of the 20th century. It might be interesting for students to go deeper into analysing the relationship between historical events, and artistic techniques.

Artwork #6 Kasimir Malevich, Bather, 1911

• Its position-relation to the theme: Bather is a figurative painting by Kasimir Malevich from 1911, broadly classified as a Fauvist painting because of the bright tones used by the artist.
• Short description: This is a male figure making his way through a barren landscape. This portrait features elongated and oversized body parts. Red tones dominate and are used both on the subject itself and in the landscape. There are also blues and yellows, the shape of which is produced by thick lines of black paint.
• Location and European dimension: The painting is now located within the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
• Possible educational exploitation: The artist would go through many stylistic changes during the 1910s: discover more about his evolution.

Artwork #7 Alexis Mérodack-Jeanneau, Clown à la boule bleue, 1906

• Its position-relation to the theme: Alexis Mérodack-Jeanneau is a French painter and sculptor. Associated with the Fauvist movement, he was behind the first Parisian exhibition of Vassily Kandinsky in 1904.
• Short description: The painter has recourse to broad flat tints of pure and vivid colours, they claim an art based on the instinct, they separate the colour from its reference to the object in order to accentuate the expression.
• Location and European dimension: The painting is now located Musée du Petit-Palais de Genève.
• Possible educational exploitation: Alexis Mérodack-Jeanneau plays with colours and forms. How do Fauvist artists juxtapose the different colours?

Artwork #8 Othon Friesz, The Bathers of Andelys, 1908

• Its position-relation to the theme: The Bathers of Andelys is a painting by Othon Friesz . Othon Friesz was a French painter, one of the most important exponents of Fauvism.
• Short description: The painting depicts naked women and men. These are bathing in a lake. Some are coming out of the water, others are standing still at the edge.
• Location and European dimension: The painting is now located Musée du Petit-Palais de Genève.
• Possible educational exploitation: The use of the colour black, used to divide the other colours, is very interesting here. In fact, many edges and contours are done with dark colours, and this gives a certain thickness to the elements.

Artwork #9 Self-portrait, Henri Manguin, 1905

• Its position-relation to the theme: Henri Manguin, like Charles Camoin or Jean Puy, was part of the Fauves group in 1905. He was also one of Matisse’s companions in Gustave Moreau’s Atelier in the 1890s. A friend of Bonnard and Signac, Manguin settled in the southern Mediterranean and built a lyrical oeuvre with bold chromatic accents. Women and landscapes are his favourite themes. Here, however, we opt for a self-portrait. This self-portrait of Henri Manguin is a painting from 1905.
• Short description: In the self-portrait he has a yellow hat that protects him from the sun. The colours are shades of lilac, light blue, and pink. The gaze is fixed toward the viewer, but the nuances of the colours chosen give a certain serenity to the painting.
• Location and European dimension: The painting is now in a private collection.
• Possible educational exploitation: Manguin’s work was influenced by Matisse, and vice versa. The two are both believed to be among the leading exponents of Fauvism, so they have characteristics in common and other peculiarities of their own. It could be interesting for learners to note the difference in style, brushwork and more to highlight the distinction between the two artists.

Artwork #10 La Danseuse jaune, Alexis Mérodack-Jeanneau (1912)

• Its position-relation to the theme: Associated with the Fauvist movement, Mérodack-Jeanneau initiated the first Parisian exhibition of Vassily Kandinsky in 1904, and directed an art magazine open to the artistic avant-garde, “Les Tendances nouvelles” (1904-1914).
• Short description: The artwork represents a young woman dancing. The entire figure is painted in yellow. It represents the body of a woman, in movement, in a sensual, graceful and delicate posture. The face in front, the woman is revealed in a position of openness, conducive to relationships with others. The yellow colour reinforces the friendly and fraternal character of the character. In reference to the sun, this colour invites to the festival, to joy, to pleasure.
• Location and European dimension: This painting is now located in the Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Angers, in France.
• Possible educational exploitation: Here, and in some of his other paintings, some signs are reminiscent of features of African art. The discovery of African art and non-Western cultures had a great influence on Fauvism. They paint synthetic forms, and seek above all structure by colour, unlike Impressionism in which they criticise the lack of structure. Fauvism cultivates a true lyricism and great exuberance. It is rather a hymn to freedom. There is also a desire to return to Arcadian sources. The shores of the Mediterranean, bearers of the myth of a dreamed antiquity, are the ideal environment for these artists. So it is interesting to see how a certain movement approaches or does not approach other cultures and other artistic currents.

Practical activities

Activity n. 1

Name of the activity

The importance of colours

Aims

To help learners discover why colours played such an important role in Fauvist painting.

Materials

• Access to the Internet or a library
• Colouring material
• Poster board on which to colour

Preparatory stage for educators/mediators

Show students some Fauvist paintings, point out the extraordinary use of colour, and especially the difference from other movements.

Development

Ask students to choose one colour. It can be light blue, yellow, pink, but also white or black. Each student will then create a poster that they will show as a moodboard of the chosen colour. Hints should appear of the historical evolution of the colour, of the different meanings given to that colour over time. Like for example, pink during the renaissance was a typically masculine colour, it is only since the 1950s that it has been attributed as a feminine colour.

In addition, you can choose some paintings in which the chosen colour is in some way the protagonist. In addition, a personal analysis of the person will also have to appear. I.e., the feelings and emotions that that colour triggers in the person. Somewhat like the Fauvists did in their works, where colour allowed them to express themselves.

Activity n. 2

Name of the activity

Fauvism in time and space

Aims

For learners to understand how artistic movements are positioned in time and space, in relation to other artistic movements, the historical political situation of the time, the culture of the country, and how it relates to other cultures.

Materials

• Access to a computer with an online connection.
• Access to a geographic map
• Drawing materials
• Access to the internet
• A large poster board

Preparatory stage for educators/mediators

Show students some paintings of different artistic movements. Explain to them that each movement is related to one another, and some characteristics are maintained while others evolve and change in relation to the historical and cultural period.

Development

Students should create a timeline of the different artistic movements, even placing them on the geographic map, depending on the country or geographic area where the movement took hold most. Doing so will give them a better sense of how everything is a continuum, and not one thing isolated from another.

But most of all… have fun learning!