The Fauve painters were the first to break with Impressionism as well as with older, traditional methods of perception. Their spontaneous, often subjective response to nature was expressed in bold, undisguised brushstrokes and high-keyed, vibrant colors directly from the tube.
Fauvism was the first of the avant-garde movements that flourished in France in the early years of the twentieth century. The Fauve painters were the first to break with Impressionism as well as with older, traditional methods of perception.
In the opening years of the twentieth century, Post-Impressionist painters working in France such as Van Gogh, Gauguin, Seurat,One of several Expressionist movements to emerge in the early 20th century, Fauvism was short lived, and by 1910, artists in the group had diverged toward more individual interests. Nevertheless, Fauvism remains significant for it
demonstrated modern art’s ability to evoke intensely emotional reactions through radical visual form.
In these regards, Fauvism proved to be an important precursor to Cubism and Expressionism as well as a touchstone for future modes of abstraction. Key Ideas & Accomplishments One of Fauvism's major contributions to modern art was its radical goal of separating color from its descriptive, representational purpose and allowing it to exist on the canvas as an independent element.
The
Fauvists’ unbridled use of rich colour for expressive ends marked an enormous shift toward abstraction and art for its own sake. Orphism, Abstract Expressionism and many other key Modernist movements developed out of the
Fauvist period’s liberation of colour and experimentation.Fauvism continues to be regarded as an important period in art history and had a
profound influence on many other expressionist movements, including the contemporary Die Brücke and the later Blaue Reiter, and Abstract Expressionism in America.There are three primary aspects of Fauvist artwork that were notable departures from 19th century traditions and that set the stage for the modern art movements to follow. These key Fauvist contributions include the
use of color, the interest in the artist’s subjective experience, and the unique nature of the subject matter and style.
