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Fauvism; Precursor of the Avant-garde

Maria Michaela Fiacan

University of Indianapolis

ENGL 100-50X

Mrs. Shelly Horvath

March 7, 2023
 Fauvism; Precursor of the Avant-garde

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Fauvism originated in France in the early twentieth century. It was the precursor of the

avant-garde era, furthermore, it was a liberation and breaking from the rules and stereotypes of

traditional art. Henry Matisse was the pioneer of the art movement that is predominantly

associated with French artists and abstractionism. As the Artist describes it himself “From the

moment I held the box of colors in my hands, I knew this was my life. I threw myself into it like

a beast that plunges toward the things it loves.’’(Schjeldahl, 2005).

This declaration is important to have a better understanding of how significant the place

of emotional implications are in the process of art-making for the Fauvism community. The

trademark of the art movement is the use of multiple and very vivid/intense colors that are then

applied in dramatic brush combined with an unnaturalistic portrayal of the subject. As it

emerged, it received mixed reactions when presented to the public. The intent behind using these

methods is to encapsulate emotions via the expressionism of the color through mostly

landscapes, nudes, and vibrant portraits. The art genra was all about expression and exploration,

usually not taking into account the realism of the piece. They were the pioneer of their time and

kept pushing the outdated boundaries of art that were shifting alongside the new political beliefs

in France. The new artistic outlook from this period was a time of liberation and moving

mindsets.

The art movement got its name from the art critic Louis Vauxcellereceided. The word

“Fauve’’ is the root word of fauvism meaning wild beast in French. The artist named themselves

by this specific term to project what they wanted to portray through their art. They used the piece

to show their attraction for an instinctual, animalistic, and primitive quality in their work owning

them the appellation of “wild beasts’’ as explained by Dr Virginia B. Spivey (2015).

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In other, words, the need for expression is what inspired these artists, they shattered and

changed the codification of art for the generation of artists to come. Unfortunately, as an art

genre it is not widely known by the public. Thus, it is important to acknowledge the impact these

art pioneers had on art history and should deserve more attention.
Dr. Spivey B. Virginia. (2015). Fauvism, an Introduction.

Retrieved from: https://smarthistory.org/a-beginners-guide-to-fauvism/

Schjeldahl Peter. (2005). Art as Life;The Matisse we never knew, The New Yorker.

Retrieved from: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2005/08/29/art-as-life