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by Les Baronesses de Bilgola
Collioure is a stunning little town – inundated with people that day so it would be hell-on-a-stick in peak summer. Its buildings are brightly coloured and even on this cold and grey day it still looked picturesque. It makes sense that Fauvism (the critics said they painted like wild beasts in cages!) is credited with being born here. Matisse and Derain, good friends, painted together here in what must have felt like an explosion of creative energy producing 242 oils and watercolours.
“For us, Fauvism was a trial by fire, … colours became sticks of dynamite that discharged light.”
André Derain
Surprisingly to me, Derain never returned to Collioure, but Matisse did several times, continuing to draw from its inspiration in his work.
Both artists moved on from Fauvism, but this energetic exploration of colour revolutionised modern art.
Prints of a number of their works are located at various sites in the town, particularly along the seawalk and again it was really valuable being able to be in the place, even on a cold and fairly bleak day, and note the colours in the landscape and see how these artists had internalised them to find this new expression.
Apparently Collioure has a really good modern art museum. Eventually we tracked it down after a couple of wrong starts, only to find that it was still closed for another couple of days when summer would start! Another one of the next time list!
by Heather Ferguson and Tina Butler
Read more of Les Baronesses journey on their blog. |
