The Exuberance of Fauvism: The Parisian Avant-Garde, 1904-1910 (OLLI)

Fauvism was the first avant-garde movement of the 20^th century. Although it was the shortest lived, the Fauvists’ radical experiments were profound and long-lasting. The term “Les Fauves” (the Wild Beasts), coined by a well-known art critic, was meant to be an insult. The delighted ‘scandalous’ artists, first led by Matisse and Derain, and soon joined by de Vlaminck, Braque, Dufy, Charmy, and others defined their style as an explosion of pure colors chosen for their expressive value. The Fauvists' egalitarian ideals guided their focus towards ordinary subjects, nightlife, sex workers, and performers as well as still lives. This audacious movement spread beyond borders, especially influencing German Expressionism.