If Fauvism is the art-world equivalent of turning the saturation slider up until your monitor begs for mercy, Othon Friesz is the guy who helped crank it… and then later decided, Actually, I would like my brushstrokes to have indoor voices sometimes. He is Episode 42 in our artist series, and he is proof that … Read more
If Fauvism had a “good vibes only” department, Raoul Dufy would have been the manager, the assistant manager, and the guy handing out complimentary lemonade at the door. Dufy shows up in art history right when painters are arguing (again) about what painting is “supposed” to do. Some artists are wrestling with the universe. Some … Read more
If Fauvism is the art world screaming, “TURN THE SATURATION UP, COWARDS,” then Kees van Dongen is the guy in the corner going, “Cool. Now make the eyes bigger. Bigger. BIGGER.” He was born in the Netherlands, moved to Paris, got tangled up in the avant-garde, and then proceeded to paint his way through bohemian … Read more
Maurice de Vlaminck sounds like a man who should either be dueling at sunrise or dramatically removing gloves before declaring, “Sir, your brushwork offends me.” And honestly? He kind of was. Vlaminck was one of the headline troublemakers of Fauvism, the early-1900s moment when a group of painters looked at reality, shrugged, and said, “What … Read more
Andre Derain is one of those artists who makes you suspect the early 1900s were basically a long-running group chat called “What if we just… ignored reality?” And then everyone replied with: “Bet.” He was French, born in 1880, and he helped kick off Fauvism right alongside Henri Matisse which is essentially the art movement … Read more
Meet Henri: The Law Clerk Who Rage-Quit His Day Job Henri Émile Benoît Matisse did not start life as the crowned prince of color. He started as… a law clerk. In northern France. In the 1880s. Which is about as exciting as it sounds. He dutifully studied law in Paris, went back home, and spent his … Read more
If you’ve been hanging out in the Artist Series so far, we’ve talked about Surrealists, Impressionists, Pop people, and that one painter who seems personally offended by straight lines. But under all of that, there’s a sneaky question quietly raising its hand in the back of the room: “Um… what even is art?” Good question, … Read more
Imagine walking into a 17th-century art studio in Rome. Everyone expects to see a bunch of bearded dudes arguing about perspective and paint recipes. Instead, there’s a young woman absolutely wrecking a canvas with light, shadow, and biblical drama so intense your Apple Watch would ask if you’re okay. That’s Artemisia Gentileschi. Who was Artemisia … Read more
If you’ve ever stared at a painting and thought, “Wow, that looks like a mystical diagram I wasn’t invited to the meeting for,” congratulations, you’ve just had a Hilma af Klint moment. Let’s dive into the woman who basically invented abstract art decades before the people normally credited with inventing abstract art got around to … Read more
If you’ve ever walked into a museum and felt like you accidentally stepped into a giant comic book panel, there’s a good chance Roy Lichtenstein was involved. His work is bold, loud, cheeky, and perfectly engineered to make your brain yell “BAM!” even if you’re just politely walking around with a latte. But who was … Read more