Andre Demain - Man of Color

This article continues with my series of artists newly discovered.   The artist chosen for today’s article is Andre Derain.    As previously mentioned these are not necessarily new artist but are individuals previously unknown to me.    Andre Derain was born in Paris and lived from 1880 to 1954.

Although Derain was not as popular,  he is closely associated with Matisse.  Drain was part of the group led by Matisse Fauves.  The Fauvism movement was introduced in 1905 when a group of artists exhibited in a salon.   The work by these artists was new and different for the time and received a great deal of public criticism.  Derain like Matisse was influenced by Cezanne and Gauguin. 

What is interesting about Andre Derain is that he has been given little credit for the Fauvism movement.  Matisse is thought of more closely with this movement.  Derain’s work, however, was more Fauvist before Matisse’s.   He was also an early Cubist.

Derain’s best work was landscapes.  One of his famous paintings, “Big Ben”, depicts how the artist used bright clashing colors with expressive brushstrokes to distort reality.  The painting was created in 1905.  Derain’s work in his later years was influenced by the Old Masters and was not as exciting or colorful.