Art Movements in Art History - Fauvism

Art Movements > Fauvism > Introduction to Fauvism

Introduction to Fauvism*

The label "Fauvism" does not apply to a school or movement in art. Rather, it describes a
loose grouping of artists between the years about 1905 to 1907 who, finding themselves in
pursuit of a more direct, unfettered form of expression than was the accepted norm, banded
together around Matisse and exhibited together. Although their concerns were to some
extent similar, these artists did not formulate a manifesto or issue a group statement of any
kind.

Painters generally labelled as "Fauvists" include the following: Henri Matisse, Henri Manguin, Gustave Moreau, Charles Camoin, Andre Derain, Emile-Othon Friesz, Georges Braque andKees van Dongen.

Louis Valtat and Georges Rouault also studied with Moreau, but they were only briefly
connected with Fauvism.

The political and personal values of these artists were not necessarily similar.
Vlaminck, for instance, was a committed anarchist, but Matisse and Derain took a far more
moderate political stance. Different attitudes to life provide for different attitudes to art;
hardly surprisingly, the styles of these artists differ.

The absence of any formulated unifying principles among the Fauvists suggest that we
should be cautious when offering generalised comments about their art, and that we should
be aware of diverse interests amongst the group.

 

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* Drawn from notes compiled by B. Schmahmann for the University of South Africa