La femme en chemise
By André Derain, 1906
Bold strokes of blue, pink, and fiery orange bring this seated woman to life in André Derain's "La femme en chemise" from 1906. The artist was one of the leaders of Fauvism, a short-lived but exciting movement whose name came from the French word for "wild beasts." Critics gave the group that nickname after seeing their loud, untamed colors, and you can understand why looking at this piece. Notice how Derain uses blue to outline the woman's face and body, breaking all the rules about how skin should actually look.
The pose itself feels relaxed and thoughtful, with the woman resting her chin on her hand as if lost in her own world. Derain was less interested in painting an exact likeness and more focused on capturing a feeling through pure color and quick, confident brushwork. He worked closely with Henri Matisse during these years, and the two pushed each other to experiment with brighter and brighter palettes. Fauvism only lasted a few years before artists moved on to other ideas, which makes works like this a snapshot of a brief, daring moment in art history.