An artwork on Galleree from The Art Institute of Chicago.
About the artwork
Houses at ChatouMaurice de Vlaminck
French, 1876–1958
c. 1905
France
81.3 × 101.6 cm (32 × 40 in.)
Oil on canvas
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Maurice E. Culberg
['homes', 'figures (representations)', 'landscapes', 'trees', 'buildings']
['oil on canvas', 'painting', 'modern and contemporary art']
In reviewing the 1905 Salon d’Automne, an alternative exhibition to the official Salon, one critic likened the work of Maurice de Vlaminck, Henri Matisse, and André Derain to that of wild beasts (fauves in French). Although not intended as a criticism, others used the name to attack this new direction in avant-garde art. The Fauves were not a formally unified group, but their style was nevertheless distinct, characterized by their use of vibrant, unmixed paint and rough, spontaneous brushwork. The thick application, explosive color, and subject of Houses at Chatou—possibly one of the works included in the 1905 Salon—reveal the importance of the work of Vincent van Gogh to the Fauves.
| attributed to Art Institute of Chicago under CC-By license
In the heart of Paris, the year was 1905, and a new wave of artistry was beginning to ripple through the salons. The Salon d’Automne, an alternative to the official salons, became a sanctuary for those seeking freedom from tradition. Here, among the vibrant hues and expressive strokes, the works of Maurice de Vlaminck, Henri Matisse, and André Derain came to life like wild beasts— a sentiment echoed by a critic who, perhaps unwittingly, gave the name ‘Fauves’ to a burgeoning movement.
As the critic's words fluttered through the air, they stirred both admiration and contempt. The term, originally intended to critique this audacious new direction in art, found its way into the hearts of many, leading to applause and scorn alike. The Fauves, while not a formal collective, shared an unmistakable spirit. Their canvases pulsated with color, calling out to the world with a primal energy.
Imagine stepping into a gallery filled with the intoxicating scent of paint and linseed oil, the walls alive with explosions of uncooked color. The Fauves wielded their brushes like swords, slicing through the dullness of tradition with thick applications of brilliant hues. Paint applied not just to canvas but to the very essence of emotion itself, daring spectators to experience art in a way they had never encountered before.
Among their celebrated works, "Houses at Chatou" emerged, a piece steeped in the vibrant legacy of Vincent van Gogh. It served as a bridge connecting the wild experimentation of the Fauves to the emotional depth of Van Gogh’s own explorations. The brushstrokes danced and the colors collided, echoing the passion that pulsed through his own life and works.
In that moment, as all these elements collided on canvas, a revolution began, crafted not just from paint, but from an insatiable desire to express the joys and sorrows of existence. The Fauves weren’t merely painting—they were communicating, embodying the tumult and beauty of life itself, inviting everyone to listen, to see, and ultimately, to feel.
About the artist
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