The London series produced by André Derain in 1906, comprising 30 distinct paintings of the Thames and Tower Bridge, established his reputation for radical color application. These works departed from the traditional depictions favored by earlier landscape painters, utilizing bold hues and unique compositional structures that signaled a departure from standard representational art.
Early Development and Fauvism
Born in 1880 in Chatou, France, Derain pursued technical studies at the Académie Camillo before moving into artistic practice. Following military service, he attended the Académie Julian. During the summer of 1905, he worked with Henri Matisse in the village of Collioure. Their resulting paintings, shown at the Salon d'Automne, used vivid, unnatural colors that earned them the label of Fauves or wild beasts, effectively launching the Fauvist movement.
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By 1910, Derain moved away from the intense Fauvist palette toward a more austere style influenced by Paul Cézanne and Cubism. This period, occasionally described as his gothic phase, emphasized formal structure over chromatic saturation. During these years, he produced woodcuts for Guillaume Apollinaire and illustrated poems by Max Jacob, while his work gained international visibility through exhibitions in Munich, New York, and Berlin.
Classicist Return and Global Recognition
Following his service in World War I, which lasted until 1919, Derain became associated with the Return to order, a shift toward classicism. He expanded his creative output to include costume and set design, notably for Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. His career reached a significant point in 1928 when he received the Carnegie Prize for his work Still-life with Dead Game.
Later Life and Political Controversy
During the occupation of France in World War II, Derain resided in Paris. His decision to participate in an official visit to Germany in 1941, where he attended an exhibition featuring Arno Breker, led to him being branded a collaborator post-liberation. His final years were marked by professional ostracization and a persistent eye infection. In 1954, he died in Garches after being struck by a vehicle.
Fast facts
- Born: 1880, Chatou, France
- Died: 1954, Garches, France
- Notable Works: Enfant courant sur la plage, Pont de Charing Cross
- Movements: Fauvism, Cubism
- Education: Académie Julian
- Occupations: Painter, sculptor, photographer, engraver, illustrator
- Member: Comité national de l'estampe
Questions readers ask
What was the significance of the 1906 London paintings?
These 30 paintings of the Thames and Tower Bridge used bold colors to offer a perspective of London that differed significantly from predecessors like Monet or Whistler.
How did World War II affect his reputation?
His visit to Germany in 1941 for a Nazi-sanctioned exhibition caused him to be branded a collaborator after the liberation of France.
Achievements
- Notable work: Enfant courant sur la plage
- Notable work: Pont de Charing Cross
- Movement: Fauvism and cubism
