Bridge over the Riou

Color moves through this landscape like a current. Fiery oranges and reds mingle with deep greens and cool blues, turning trees, shadows, and stone into vivid shapes that seem to vibrate with sunlight. Derain simplifies the forms yet heightens their presence through strong contrasts, giving the scene an almost musical rhythm. The tall pines stretch upward, while the bridge anchors the composition with a calm, grounding curve.

Painted during Derain’s Fauvist years, the work reflects his belief that color could reshape the world into something more expressive and immediate. The landscape becomes a place of emotion rather than strict representation, a space where nature feels heightened and fully alive. The bold palette and free brushwork convey joy, warmth, and a sense of discovery, inviting the viewer to see the familiar through a lens of bright possibility.