Fauvism
“What I am after, above all, is expression.”
– Henri Matisse
– Henri Matisse
Henri Matisse (1869 - 1954) was a leading artist in Fauvism, which literally translates from German as 'wild beast'. He practiced simplified, two-dimensional subject matter in order to focus upon color and emotion in his creations.
Near the end of his life, due to poor health conditions, Matisse created pictures by cutting out simple shapes of colored paper and arranging them together. Through this pleasant, delightful style Matisse displays his creativity in a new-found and inspirational way. "The Horse, the Rider, and The Clown" 1947
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"Horse and Wagon" 1937
"Matisse loved life’s sensuous pleasures from the beauty of the models who sat for him to the lushness of nature. Through art, Matisse was able to convey his own zest for life.” www.merrittgallery-renaissancefinearts.com |
"Today we are searching for things in nature that are hidden behind the veil of appearance. . .
We look for and paint this inner, spiritual side of nature."
- Franz Marc
Sketches of Franz Marc (another leading Fauvism artist who lived 1880 to 1916) show he had remarkable talent in detail and realism, yet his masterpieces are paintings of simplified shapes, some flat, others rounded, all with emphasis on color and sometimes movement. These elements reveal the emotion Franz Marc aimed to portray in his paintings.
"Red and Blue Horses" 1912, Staedtische Gallery in Lenbachhaus, Germany
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"Head of a Horse" 1906
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Various paintings of Marc have the 'shattered glass' effect. For example, in the painting below, "Fabulous Beast II" (1913), the background and subject are criss-crossed over by random lines, dividing and reshaping the picture. It's as if the viewer is using glasses with broken lenses to look at the painting.
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Most of Franz Marc's paintings are of animals in their natural habitat. Along with deer and dogs, horses were a favorite subject of his, perhaps because they themselves are the epitome of gracefulness and expression in the natural world. |
"Large Blue Horses" 1911, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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