Even if you’re not an art enthusiast, you’ve likely encountered the term Fauvism. This painting style, whose name is derived from the French word fauve, meaning “wild beast,” has intriguing origins. This label, far from fanciful, emerged from critics’ reaction to certain artists of the early 20th century. Among the most celebrated of these artists was Henri Matisse. From the late 19th century, Matisse started to explore the dramatic potential of color, a journey skillfully encapsulated by Evan “Nerdwriter” Puschak in this insightful video.
Matisse’s revolutionary use of color—powerful and emotionally resonant, yet not necessarily realistic—earned him the ‘wild beast’ moniker. This can be vividly seen in his renowned 1904 painting Luxe, Calme et Volupté, inspired by a stay in St. Tropez. The painting showcases Matisse’s bold use of color rebelling against its subjects, creating a work that feels anarchic and fantastical, pulsating with vibrant energy.
Continuing this pursuit in the southern fishing village of Collioure, Matisse produced paintings that, even over a century later, retain their defiant energy; “the colors still sing with the daring, the creative recklessness of that summer.”
What truly shocked people about Matisse and other Fauvist artists was their replacement of objectivity with subjectivity—most notably through color. As Matisse matured as an artist, with the backing of visionary collectors rather than the establishment, he honed his ability to use color to define form, creating works that expressed deep, primal emotions and rhythms. This progression culminated in the creation of La Danse, where the “shocking scarlet” portrayed naked, dancing figures reminiscent of mythological satyrs, provoking harsher criticism than ever before.
Such radical innovation couldn’t be expected to gain instant acceptance. Evan “Nerdwriter” Puschak astutely notes, “If it was accepted, it wouldn’t be radical.” Today, with hindsight on modern art’s evolution, we can appreciate Matisse’s groundbreaking works without being scandalized. His art, misunderstood by many of his contemporaries, now enjoys universal resonance, even adorning iced-coffee bottles at convenience stores a century later.
Related Content:
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Henri Matisse Illustrates James Joyce’s Ulysses (1935)
Why Georges Seurat’s Pointillist Painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte Is a Masterpiece
When Henri Matisse Was 83 Years Old, He Couldn’t Go to His Favorite Swimming Pool, So He Created a Pool as a Work of Art
Watch Iconic Artists at Work: Rare Videos of Picasso, Matisse, Kandinsky, Renoir, Monet, Pollock & More
Based in Seoul, Colin Marshall writes and broadcasts on cities, language, and culture. His projects include the Substack newsletter Books on Cities and the book The Stateless City: a Walk through 21st-Century Los Angeles. Follow him on Twitter at @colinmarshall or on Facebook.
